Timequake
by Trynia Merin
Summary: The Bionic Six meet Trynia Merin, a cyborg from Mantissa, with a time machine. What is Dr. Scarab's interest in her? Find out!
1. Default Chapter

Disclaimer: This story is written for fanfiction enjoyment only 

Disclaimer: This story is written for fanfiction enjoyment only. The characters of Bionic Six are owned by Shima.... The characters of Mummies Alive are property of DIC. Trynia Merin and Mennehotep, Tharankenat, Mennerana, and Sehnenrath are all the property of me, Trynia Merin Aka Theresa Meyers. Use them only with permission from me first... the character of Shadowdancer, Jazmin, Joshua, Samuel, Meg Bennett are property of Jade JJ, which I use with her permission. I am thankful to write such interesting stuff for the enjoyment of Bionic 6 and Mummies Alive fans as well!

* * *

Time quake part 1 

A bionic 6 crossover with Trynia Merin and Mummies Alive...

By Trynia Merin 

* * *

It was a typical day, the sun shone high above in full radiant glory. Its rays illuminated a large flat golden panel erected over a rooftop. Two blonde children carefully positioned the sides of the solar panel, directed by a young African American in thick glasses. 

"To the left... that's it... Meg... To the right... Eric..."

"Make up your mind," grunted the girl, shaking her head. The boy in the baseball cap opposite wiped sweat from his brow.

"Maybe you should give me a solar panel for my bionics," he joked. "Enough the old fashioned way! Bionics on!"

Instantly in a blaze of light both twins were transformed into Sport 1 and Rock 1. Effortlessly they

positioned the solar panel IQ had long labored upon.

"Now you can pay for those long Internet chats from your friends," Sport 1 said to his sis. She stuck her tongue out at him as she leapt down from the roof.

"I don=t spend as much time as you do on the ESPN page!" she shot back as he joined her.

"Enough you guys," said IQ, shaking his head. "That's as bad as the argument about Transistor Sister you had a few months back..."

"Don=t remind me," sighed Sport 1, rolling his eyes.

"Hey, they are still the bomb," said Rock 1, fingering her earpiece micro player.

As they headed back into the house, they ran across Bungee as he was meditating. Eric was very tempted to drop a water balloon on his adopted brother=s head at that moment. Just to see what would happen. 

But he knew better since the last time he tried that prank. Bungee seemed aware of their presence, for his black eyes snapped open. "So, getting a tan?" he asked.

"We wish," said Meg, with a sigh. "Where's Mom and Dad?"

"Dad's in the lab. Says he's working on a new project... by the way, he wants your help IQ..."

"So what else is new?" Eric said to his other brother. 

Jack Bennet hunched over a large complex computer terminal. The member known as IQ entered the lab first, followed by his inquisitive sister and brothers. "you rang?"he said.

"Yes. I wondered if you could help me. The satellite I helped build to track the earth=s magnetic field is going crazy. Can you help to classify these readings?"

Everyone clustered around the screen as the electromagnetic pictures flashed up. 

"That's not the same energy reading that happened when we first got our bionics, is it?" asked Meg, a bit nervous.

"No," said her father, taking her shoulder. "Fortunately not. This is much different. It's like a tear in the earth's magnetic field."

"Like the earth has a wound or something," said Meg back to her father. He nodded. 

"But what would cause that to happen, a tear like that?" asked Eric, spotting the serious look on his father's face.

"I was on the phone with some of the local meteorological experts," Jack said. "And they cannot account for it either."

"Sunspots?" Eric asked. Why not, they were blamed for all the freak weather they'd been having lately. 

"No," said their father quickly. "Sunspots do have some effect upon the electromagnetic field of the earth, but it would never cause a phenomenon such as this..."

IQ moved past them to look more carefully at the computer screen. Tapping keys he rung up more satellite images of the South Pole, the North pole, and Hubble telescope. "Checking out the ozone hole?" Meg asked him.

"Fortunately those are not any more affected than usual," said IQ, glancing at the computer enhanced images. Together he and Jack continued to read through the database to determine what could account for the phenomenon.

"Let's go leave the experts to their fun," Eric said, nudging his sister. They walked out of the computer lab into the main family living area. The ultramodern house was a series of interconnected rooms that merged into one fluid space. All conveniences of a modern house awaited them there. Eric tuned into ESPN to get the latest scores of the football game. Meg plugged into her digital headphones and stuck in a Transistor Sister CD to listen to. Soon both teens were in their isolated worlds of sound.

Helen had just gotten home from the latest PTA meeting, and Jack was starting to make dinner. The smell of garlic hung thickly in the kitchen, enticing the twins out of there imposed isolation. Meg threw off her headphones and Eric switched the volume down on the digital television. Eagerly they rushed to greet her.

Helen hugged both her children vigorously. "So, have you been behaving yourselves lately?" she

laughingly teased them.

"Aw mom," Eric laughed, as they drew out of their group hugs. "What's that wonderful smell?"

"All right!" Meg smiled. "Spaghetti ala Dad!"

"Don=t forget the bread sticks," said Eric.

"Hold on you two... I just got back," said their mother, straightening out her brown hair. AHow was school today?"

"Fine if you include messing around with a solar panel as phys ed," Meg complained.

"You know you promised to help him with his projects,@ Helen reminded her children. ABesides, who helped you with that winning science fair project, Meg. And Eric, who helped you survive Algebra?"

Both sighed and remembered. In the Bennet family, no favor went unpaid without a good deed in return. 

Just then Bengi wandered in. A look of confusion was clear on his oriental face. "I just don't get why those two can't speak English sometimes," he quipped.

"Hiya Bengi, what's new from the lab?" Eric asked him.

Bengi gave his mom a big hug hello, and then turned to his siblings. AOur bro. He=s been going on about time travel now.@ 

"Last week it was the ozone hole," said Meg. "Is this his obsession of the week?"

"More like it's contagious. He's got Dad hooked," Bengi laughed, as he sat at the dinner table. Eric, by the fridge grabbed a soda. Expertly he tossed one to Meg, and his brother.

"Did you say time travel," said Helen. A look of fear climbed over her face. Suddenly her eyes went blank. 

Her whole body became rigid. Accustomed to their mom=s psychic spells, they weren=t worried. At last her eyes popped open once more as she regarded them. 

"What's up mom?" asked Meg.

"I had a premonition. Someone's messing around with the structure of time," said she, worry on her face. 

"My whole precog sense is scattered... and I cannot focus it..."

* * *

"I don't believe it," said IQ, under his breath, as he walked into the dining room. Already Jack was helping to serve out the supper. 

"What don't you believe," said Jack to his son.

"It's the same pattern as something I've been working on in the lab," he explained.

"That science project you started last week?" Jack asked. "The one about time travel? How does this relate to the strange energy readings I spotted?"

"That's just it... We've ruled out everything else. And my time machine is the only thing that causes

electromagnetic disruptions that come close to this specific type..."

"We'd better tell the rest of the family," Jack said gravely. Already Eric had helped his mom set the table, while Bengi was taking the breadsticks out of the oven for her.

"We have a problem, honey," Jack said to his wife. Their eyes met from across the room, and the shared fear was evident to the children. 

"Not another solar panel," Bengi joked. Meg shot him a warning look. From IQ serious expression, now wasn=t the time for his jokes.

"What's wrong, Jack?" Helen asked him. "You're scaring the children with that look on your face..."

"I discovered a tear... in the earth's magnetic field this morning," he said, as they all sat down at the table. 

Helen dolloped spaghetti on each plate as it was passed around. 

"And it wasn't caused by sunspots, or television, or any other phenomenon," said Jack.

"What gives then?" asked Meg. "Maybe someone was activating a new radio station..."

"That's not it either," said Jack. "I sure wish it was."

"It gets worse," said their brother. 

"I don't like it already," said Eric.

"Explain..."

"I had been assisting several of the researchers in the field of Time travel... for they had invented that one working time machine. They naturally expected my help when I said I=d done a scientific paper on Lightspeed mechanics...."

"When was this?" asked Eric.

"That last meeting of the American Physics student society," said IQ. AI had presented my latest project there... about faster than light travel."

"What is this, Star Trek?" laughed Bengi.

"Faster than light travel is possible if you add a time vector..."

"Enough Mr. Data," sighed Meg. "Make with the English for us normal people..."

"Those energy readings you're showing me are identical to those put out by my experiments..."

"You haven't been doing them in the house I hope," said Jack.

"No. I used the facilities at State University... where I'm doing my college degree," he protested. 

Everyone didn't have to be reminded of the fact he was sixteen and already halfway through college.

"Whoa, time out!" cried Eric. "You mean they're building a time machine there?"

"Of course," said IQ. "OR at least a light accelerator that can accelerate particles faster that light... 

And progress was being made on a model that could send physical matter. It uses magnetic energy to make a hole in the space time continuum..."

Meg and Eric shrugged as they looked at each other. 

"Dad said he saw a really screwed up pix of the earth=s magnetic field," said Eric. "And our sci whiz bro said it had to do with a temporal spatial... hole or something..."

The video com came on. All eyes fixed on the image of Dr. Sharp as it came on. They could see his lab in view. "Bad news," he said to the assembled family.

"We have a mission..." said Jack to him. "Doing with time?"

"Yes." said Sharp.

"My precog just flared up... but I didn't get a clear image of what was wrong..." Helen sighed. Jack put his arms around her and gave her a reassuring kiss on the cheek. 

"That's one of the side effects of a time disturbance," Jack said softly. "Don't worry. It=s not your fault. Your ability to see the future is being affected... because time itself is being perturbed. It=s like someone throwing a stone into a lake, and the ripples spreading out."

"Wait, someone's playing with time," Meg said, scratching her head. "Who and how?"

"It's not my machine, or the one at the university," said IQ, very worried. 

"Dr. Scarab?" asked Bengi.

"Possibly," said Jack. "And that's why we are involved. WE must investigate the source of this time disturbance... at once. Prepare to move out, Bionic 6!"

All members rushed to the vehicle garage, worried looks across their respective faces. On the way out, they ran into an old friend, who was just coming home from the library...

"I just got the news," said she, almost bumping into them as they rushed past. 

"Bionicise up and tag along," Sport one told her, by the name of Shadow dancer. In a blaze of energy she powered up, and followed. In her gut she felt something was seriously wrong with reality. 

* * *

Far under the ocean, another group of beings with varied powers were holding their own conference. The Bionic 6 had no idea of the deviousness of Dr. Scarab's latest plot. All they had seen was the first hiccups! From his large chair, Dr. Scarab regarded his minions. 

"I've just been testing my new time machine," he said, rubbing both his hands together with glee. "And already things are looking ripe for my plan..."

"But boss," said Glove, glancing at his master. "Those mag fields are showing up everywhere like crazy! It's all over the news..."

"All the better," Dr. Scarab laughed. "I predicted the machine would louse up television and radio signals everywhere..."

"You might as well put up a neon sign saying... Dr. Scarab 's evil plot this way," Glove said, shaking his head.

"That's why I'm the genius, and you're the layman," Dr. Scarab responded mildly. "Only my brilliant mind could come up with a device that solved more than one problem at a time..."

"Ah darling you are indeed the best," said Madame O, as she rested her hands on her master's sizable arm. She leaned against him, eyes filled with nothing but admiration.

The others thought it best to nod their heads. Only Glove had a further objection. "But what about the Bionic Six?" he asked. "I bet they're on their way here right now!"

"But that's precisely what I want to happen, you idiot," said Dr. Scarab. "I want them to come. And witness their destruction!"

"Dahrling... don't call me dim... but how will your brilliant machine destroy them?" Madame O asked, backing away for a moment as she anticipated an outburst from her master.

"Ah my dear, I will be more than happy to tell you," Dr. Scarab said, clearly in a good mood that day. "You see, time was not on my side with the Bionic Six. But now it is. For what is a menace that has never come to be?"

At his words everyone scratched their heads. "Uh...grmmmlsdfksd," mumbled Klunk.

"That goes for me too," Glove grumbled. 

Dr. Scarab laughed. "Let me put it in simple terms, you dunderheads. The bionic Six is the only obstacle to world domination right?"

"Right..." said the others.

"So what if I got rid of the bionic six?"

"Isn't that what you've been trying to do for the past..."

"Now I can forget they have even existed," Dr. Scarab laughed. "For if I use my machine to go back in time and destroy the Bionic Six before they got their bionics... I will come back and be Ruler of the world!"

"But isn't there some kinda paradox or something if you do that?" asked Glove.

"My dear Glove, you are actually thinking..." Dr. Scarab said, amused. "The simpletons of this scientific age would say so. But I have prepared for that! For we will simply go into a parallel universe where I am ruler..."

'But won't you meet yourself?" asked Madame O, having seen Back to the Future about a million times.

"Maybe, but it is most likely my brilliant counterpart in that other parallel universe will have already left, leaving space for me..."

Everyone seemed hopelessly lost, and Dr. Scarab slapped his hands to his forehead, "Why do I even bother! Just do as I say... and don't screw up this time! Let me know the instant you get the Bionic brats on scanner... and we'll go from there!" 

* * *

Meanwhile, in the City of San Francisco, a figure looked up from a strange contraption of wires and bronze. Fear poured over her metal cheeked face. "Oh no," she gasped. For Dr. Scarab was not the only one building a time machine in the twentieth century. This cyborg, Trynia Merin, had labored intensively for the past six months to perfect her invention, in the hopes she could return to her home planet of Mantissa. Yet so far her machine had met with limited success, and failed to send her any farther than a pitiful few seconds forward in time. The perfected version would send her much farther ahead, to the twenty fifth century, and many light years distant. All she could do now to travel was to rely upon the limited vehicles of 20th century Earth. 

A figure in bandages looked up from her lab bench, and crossed over to the first woman. Her long white dress and ornate Egyptian collar suggested her origin. While the presence of the uadjet serpent crown on her head confirmed that she was once a Queen of ancient Egypt. "What's the matter Trynia," she asked.

"Oh, your Majesty," Trynia said to Mennehotep, her Egyptian friend. "It's awful. I was testing my time machine... and I felt a huge power surge! Something is ripping at the fabric of space time!"

"It's not your doing?" Mennehotep said, laying a hand on her shoulders.

"No. A device that is far cruder and more primitive, but far more powerful than I could build," said Trynia. "Being manipulated by someone who has little knowledge of how to properly manipulate time..."

"What will we do?"

"It is my duty as a time traveler to stop them..." said Trynia. "I must beg your leave to go..."

"I will come with you," said Mennehotep. "To assist you in your quest..."

"It may be dangerous..."

"All the more reason. If it is a threat to you, I will come," said Mennehotep. "You have guarded me well all these centuries. It is time for me to return the favor!"

"What about Tuthmosis?"

"I will leave him a note... He's at the Sphinx with JaKal and the others. From the look on your face you intended to leave this minute!"

"Meet me at the vehicle hangar," Trynia said. Soon she reached the garage which contained the Osiris Fury, and the small hovercraft jet she'd made. Quickly she loaded the pieces of her machine into the cargo bay. Then she leapt into the pilot's seat of the craft, firing up the antigravity engines. The bandaged figure of Mennehotep rushed in and leapt into the seat behind the cybernetic woman. Trynia's left hand was sheathed in a bionic exoframe, which plugged into the main control panel. She didn't even have to manipulate controls.

"Hang on, here we go!" Trynia said to her mummified friend as they took off. Menne gasped as the craft rushed out the huge double doors into the city streets. Within seconds the trajectory shot perpendicular as the craft rose into the air.

Trynia attenuated her trackers for the special energy signature of the time waves. She winced in pain as another eruption seemed to lash out invisibly. Because she was a time traveler she could sense such distortions in time. And they caused her physical pain. 

* * *

Meanwhile, Shadowdancer and Eric looked on as IQ and FLUFFY ran tracking scans on the energy readings. Bionic 1 piloted their sophisticated jet craft as it streaked across the skies. Bengi sat in full lotus position in his seat near Meg, who had her headphones turned up high. Mother 1 nudged her daughter's shoulder, "Dear, you'll burn your ears out if you don't turn that down..." 

"What?" she said loudly. "I can't hear you..."

"That's the point dear," Mother one said, pulling the headphones off her daughter. Meg shot her a pouting look as she prepared herself for yet another Mom lecture about the dangers of loud headphones.

"Better let her listen to that while she still can," Shadowdancer teased. "After all... if the em fields act up again... it's bye radio!"

"You can laugh," Meg continued to pout. "But it would be a disaster..."

"What's one radio station?" asked Eric. "She'll just plug in her CD's...."

Mother One sighed, and handed the headphones back to Meg. She put them on again, quickly. Then tuned in once more. But then a wince came over her face as something seemed to shake the craft. Jack struggled to hold it steady. Shadowdancer almost crashed into Eric as they were hurled and buffeted.

"The readings are going off the scale!" cried IQ, as FLUFFY gave a shriek of alarm. 

"No kidding Sherlock," Eric shouted. "What is this?"

"The tear in the magnetic field is creating lots of turbulence... and that's affecting weather for miles!" Bionic one shouted back to them. "Better hold on! We're in for a bumpy ride."

"I've got dead static!" Meg complained.

"Hang tight everyone!" Bionic One shouted again as the craft buffeted. Dark clouds obscured the ocean below as the em field swirled local weather into bizarre patterns. 

Mother One felt a trance come on. In her mind's eye the haze settled over her remote viewing. 

Shadowdancer felt Mother One's confusion in her own mind. As if Mother One was trying to sense one of her visions, but couldn't quite get it. Then Mother one gritted her teeth as she probed harder. "Jack! Look out! We're going to hit another craft and crash..."

"What other craft!" Bengi asked, snapping out of his trance.

"I just picked up another craft on a parallel course," IQ cried. "Pull up Dad, or we're gonna hit..."

"The em's fried the guidance systems. Switching to manual..." Bionic1 glanced ahead with his bionic eyes. 

They filtered out the clouds, giving him an ultraviolet view of the spectrum. He could now discern the whirling microwaves and charged particles that drifted out of a huge hole in the sea below. As his eyes went down the spectrum he could see the minute puckers and passages of the magnetic field as it wrapped around solid objects. Indeed, there was a characteristic small disruption as the mag field rippled around a solid land mass far below. It had not been there before. And neither had the other strange object, soaring close to their craft. It appeared to be a hovercraft, powered by gravity repulsion, unlike the Bionic Six jet. 

Sparks flew from the control panel as the em tear ripped through. Everyone squeezed shut their eyes as Bionic One tried to hold it steady. Now they were flying blind... 

* * *

Trynia felt the electromagnetic disruption most painfully. Her own bionics were sensitive to such changes. For the circuitry in her cybernetic body was attenuated to detect the presence of time waves. And that meant that any major disruptions in the time stream were painfully apparent! 

Menne saw her wince as the storm hit. Trynia's own eyes could see even better than Bionic One's, for she could discern the gaping hole ahead. Mennehotep could see nothing but the dark storm clouds as their craft soared into them.

But Menne spotted the island suddenly appearing below them. "Trynia look! That island wasn't there before...."

"It must be near the source of the time rip..." Trynia said. "We're almost on top of it... ugh..."

"You are in pain," Menne said, laying a hand on Trynia's shoulder. "What is it?"

"There is a tear in the earth's magnetic field... being created by that time machine. And I am sensitive to electromagnetic disruptions. This... tear is a million times more intense... and that's what is shorting out radio and television communication for miles..."

Suddenly she froze, and swerved. Something appeared before her eyes. Fortunately Trynia's craft

computer was proofed against most em disruptions, yet the readings weren't making much sense. She had spotted another aircraft, locked in a collision course with theirs!

"We have to land," Trynia said. "We're going to hit another craft..."

"But who is the other craft..." Menne asked, as she suddenly saw a shape in the dark clouds. "They are rocking as if they cannot steer..."

"If they are, they're headed for a swim... they are in danger... we have to help them...." Trynia muttered. 

She swerved as she went to intercept them. For she guessed their guidance was perhaps gone, due to the em fluctuations.

Menne realized as she saw the craft suddenly drop in altitude. "Are they trying to land on the island?"

"I could tractor them and slow their descent with the grav coupler... but they would still be flying blind..."

"Someone needs to get their attention..." Menne said.

"The radio is out of the question," Trynia said. "And I can't..."

"Leave it to me," Said Menne, as she said, "By the Wisdom of Isis!" Scarlet wings spanned as she donned her ibis armor. Quickly she leapt out to fly on her own. 

"Menne... it's too dangerous... the winds..."

"I will get their attention!" she shouted above the storm. "Grapple them with your hook thing! I will guide you both in!" 

* * *

Everyone gasped as the engines seemed to cut out. Sparks flew into Mother One and Bionic One's faces as the guidance shorted out. With terror they realized every electronics system save manual was fried by the em storm. Out the forward viewport Bionic one saw the craft, but could barely see the island, even with his bionic vision. He struggled to bring the craft in manually, but the image swam before his eyes. 

Suddenly something locked onto the plane, retarding his speed.

"We've been snared!" he cried.

"I'll get the weapons... to see if we can get them," Eric said, reaching for his seatbelt.

Mother one felt another vision come on. "They're someone else there... and they're trying to help!"

"What?" asked everyone.

"Look at that!" Bengi cried, pointing to a flare of light. It was as if the sky exploded in lightening. Sure enough a bright phosphorescent flare went up, lighting up the sky for miles. Below the sky refused to clear completely, allowing them no view of the island below. Bionic One's sight discerned a strange bird shape in the air... that had cut off from the other craft that now snared them.

"It looks like a bird," Shadowdancer said.

"Don't do anything," Mother One said. "I can sense it's trying to help! We have to follow it!"

"Dear, what are you talking about?" asked Bionic One. But then he realized it was better not to question his wife, if this was from one of her premonitions. "All right! Hang on, we're going down!"

Menne smiled to herself as the craft seemed to turn. Trynia's ray had stopped it's rapid descent. Someone on board shot a blaze of energy, as if to copy her flare. She turned her wings in the universal sign of "follow me..."

Bionic One turned the craft to answer her. Eyes on the bright scarlet and violet speck, he aimed the craft after her. Trynia's ray continued to bleed off the effects of the wind sheer as they coasted down. Eric and Shadowdancer gripped hands as the craft shot through the dark clouds. Soon they felt the bumpy shock of landing. Meg opened her eyes to see that the craft was safely down.

"Whoa, that was better than the roller coaster at Great Adventure!" Bengi joked, to a grim faced audience.

"I'm not gonna ride that thing again," Meg moaned. IQ shook his head, and set FLUFFY on its robotic feet again. Slowly Eric and Shadowdancer picked themselves up from their seats.

"Everyone in one piece?" Mother one asked them, glancing around the cabin. The smell of burning wire filled the air.

"Yeah, more or less," said Eric.

"Less than more," said Shadowdancer as she unclipped her seat belt. Slowly everyone did the same, climbing to their feet as they were amazed the craft was still intact around them.

"I think we'd better get out and thank our friends," said Bionic1 to his children. IQ ripped open the hatch, which had shorted out and locked in the em storm. The Bionic 6 and Shadowdancer stepped out onto a sandy beach and glanced around. Eric noted the ultramodern hovercraft that had landed a hundred meters away. 

Someone got out, gold glinting off its face in the sunlight. As suddenly as it had arisen, the storm had vanished. Those dark clouds were only a dark splotch on the horizon now. Overhead the sun shone as brightly as it had before. 

Another figure appeared, flashing its scarlet wings as it circled overhead. Eric narrowed his eyes as he discerned the shape of what looked like a metallic bird. Upon closer look, Bionic One realized it was a woman in strange armor. He glanced at Helen and the children, then went to meet the strange figure that came towards them.

"Hello?" he said to it. It was clad in black spandex with panels of blue here and there. Gold exoframes were present on the legs and on both hands. Long brown hair was tied into a french braid behind her head. 

Light flashed off the gold wiring and panels on her left cheek. 

"It's a cyborg," IQ said with amazement.

"It's bionic like us?" asked Meg with interest.

"Not like us," said Bionic 1. AI can tell her circuitry is far more advanced then even our own bionics..."

"She's a friend," Mother One said. "I can sense it."

"Greetings," said the cyborg woman as she extended a hand to Bionic one. Likewise he smiled and extended his own hand. Their hands touched and shook in a handshake. "It is good to see you are intact... and functional..."

"You could say that again," Bionic One smiled. "Whoever you are, thanks!"

"We could have ended up as driftwood," Bengi said.

"Yeah. What did you use to grab onto our ship with?" Shadowdancer asked her. "Some energy tractor beam?"

"That's the layman's term for it," Trynia smiled, showing a set of white pearly teeth. "May I ask if I interrupted anything?"

"Well, you have," Said Bionic One. "We are on a secret mission... and your craft almost crashed with yours..."

"I am on such a mission myself. To stop the electromagnetic disturbances. I can assume your purpose is benevolent?"

"You bet it is," said Eric. "WE wanna stop it as much as you do..."

"Yeah, or there won't be any radio or TV anywhere," Meg added.

"I forgot my manners," said Jack Bennet. "We're the Bionic Six... and this is our friend Shadowdancer..."

"We know them through the Mummies..." Eric said.

"I am called Trynia Merin," said the cyborg woman, formally introducing herself to Jack. Slowly the winged figure landed near her, and everyone gasped in wonder as they saw lengths of bandages draped over her form. The armor was scarlet and violet, with an Egyptian Ibis design.

"Wait... she's one of those Mummies," Eric realized. IQ too went up to Mennehotep.

"You know of my sort?" Menne asked them. Trynia seemed a bit surprised.

"We just had a crazy adventure with some others just like you," Sport one said. (See the Great Scarab Mix Up at http://geocities.com/athens/styx/2853/index.html for details "How couldn't we know? We know JaKal and Prince Rapses..."

"Then you are our allies," Said Mennehotep. "I am Queen Mennehotep, wife of Tuthmosis III, and Trynia is my friend and guardian."

"Nice to meet you, er your majesty," said Bionic one, a bit taken aback. He scratched his head. More mummies was just what he didn't need now. But if she was an ally, he couldn't be rude. Anything might help in this latest development. After all, Mennehotep did guide them to land safely on the island when their guidance system shorted out.

The kids ringed Menne and Trynia. "Wow, your bionics are cool!" Meg laughed, glancing at Trynia's exoframes. Shadowdancer and Sport one talked to Mennehotep, asking her all about how the Mummies were doing. Menne tried her best to answer their many questions. Bionic One and Mother One gently reminded the children that they were on a mission, and they withdrew. 

Trynia and Bionic One compared notes on the situation. "So here's the deal," said Bionic One. "Something's causing the em tears, and my son IQ thinks it's a time related cause."

"You are certainly correct," Trynia said to IQ and Bionic 1. "It is a time rip. And all of your world is in deadly danger..."

"You think Scarab is behind it?" asked Eric.

"This has his name all over it," said Bionic One grimly.

"Scarab doesn't have that sort of Power," Mennehotep began.

"No, not Scarab," said Shadowdancer, correcting her. "Doctor Scarab. He's a mad scientist, not a mad sorcerer from Ancient Egypt..."

"Oh," said Mennehotep, a bit confused. Why did villains have to share names? 

* * *

Back in Dr. Scarab's headquarters, the man in question watched intently at the new developments. "What is this?" he grumbled. "A mummy? I thought I'd seen the last of those piles of rags! And what's this? Not another bionic... wait!" 

"She looks different from the others..." said Mechanic. "Almost... alien..."

Klunk grunted his agreement, as did Glove. Neither had seen such a strange mechanism. Even despite the fact that Mechanic and Glove had invented many robotic cyphrons and other weaponry. Even Madame O was intrigued by the sight of Trynia Merin in her gleaming cybernetic systems.

"Ah! She's not simply bionic," Dr. Scarab realized. He ordered Mechanic to run a scan on her from one of his special cameras. Dimensional images pixilated over the screen. Multiple radar and infra scanners all took readings of her magnetic and energy signatures. Dr. Scarab had many such scanners to track the Bionic 6. Yet these readings were far different. A bionic six reading about ten times more intense.

"She's a real cyborg!" Mechanic said. "Unbelievable! Where did she pop up from?"

"I don't care. She can't interfere with my plan! We must capture her... or delay her! She stopped my plan to destroy the Bionic six... and she must pay," Dr. Scarab snarled. "And neither will her friend, that necrotic pile of rags!"

"How are you going to do that, darling?" Madam O asked him.

"Simple. I shall split them up, sending one group into the past, and one into the future," said Dr. Scarab. "Those brats won't be a threat to me in the future! And those in the past I can easily destroy!"

"Great idea, darling," Madame O purred.

Glove and Mechanic glanced at each other. They were both intrigued by Trynia Merin's cybernetics. If she was truly as powerful as they thought, they had to get their hands on her. Perhaps she could provide them with the power they needed to take over Dr. Scarab! 

* * *

Back on the Beach, everyone was comparing notes about the time storm. IQ and Trynia both exchanged information quickly. IQ was highly impressed with Trynia's grasp of temporal mechanics. Likewise she was impressed with his own knowledge. Few humans she'd met truly understood time travel as this one did. Mother One and Mennehotep talked about their families. 

"With your permission, I've got a plan," Bionic 1 said to his family. "Trynia, can you help IQ fix the plane?"

"Certainly," Trynia offered.

"Sport 1, you and Shadowdancer stay with them, and keep a lookout on the ocean. The rest of us will do a reconnaissance of the island. Split into teams of two. Princess Mennehotep, can I assume you will help us, being the only one of us who can fly?"

"Count on my help," she said to him. "I consider myself under your command, Bionic 1."

"Thanks. Rock 1, and Karate 1, you take the atv's and do a run of the island's interior. I will take the powerboat with Mother 1, and scan the bay. Princess, can you do an aerial reconnaissance of the island?"

"Yes," said she.

"Here's a wrist com," Mother 1 said, passing Mennehotep a bracelet identical to what the Bionic 6 wore. 

"It's a radio. It will let you be in constant touch with us..."

"Thank you, Mother 1," smiled Mennehotep. Being parents they seemed to get along quite well.

"I don't know about this," Shadowdancer said to Sport 1, once they split up. "How can we trust them?"

"How can you think such a thing," Sport 1 asked her.

"We don't know Trynia or this Princess..."

"But they know JaKal and the other Mummies. And those are our friends..." said Sport 1 to her. "So give Trynia a chance. If she wasn't above board, Mother 1 would have sensed it..."

"I guess," Shadowdancer sighed. "I will try. But it will take awhile..."

Mennehotep spread her wings, taking off. In her shadow the powerboat with Bionic 1 and Mother 1 set out to ring the island once. Rock 1 and Karate 1 set off into the interior of the island. Leaving the others alone with the jet plane. IQ and Trynia made rapid progress working together. Soon the plane was just about repaired.

"I must admit, you're pretty hot with those electronics," said Sport 1 to Trynia. Nervously Shadowdancer looked over the bay, as if feeling a sense of evil.

"Thank you," said Trynia. "But I fear it might not do us much good if what's happening what I think is..."

"And what do you think's happening?" IQ asked her.

Trynia put a hand to her head. As if in pain her eyes shut, and she doubled over. "Uh..."

"Are you okay?" Sport 1 and IQ asked her, going to her side.

"There... is another time disturbance," she gasped, wincing as IQ supported her. "As if the structure of time is being shredded and put back together..."

"Something's wrong," Shadowdancer gasped, turning to Sport 1. "We gotta warn the others..."

Suddenly it was as if the sky split in two. A huge vortex seemed to open up as a wind picked up. Trynia pushed IQ behind her. "Get into the plane!" she shouted.

"What good will that do?" Shadowdancer yelled.

"It's a time quake!" she screamed. "Hurry!"

"She's right!" IQ said, grabbing Sport 1 and Shadowdancer by the arms. They all barely managed to get into the plane as the waves of massive temporal energy hit. Trynia leapt behind the plane's controls as the wind tore into the craft. 

* * *

Meanwhile Bionic 1 and Mother one saw a strange blue vortex open up in the water before them. Menne spotted it first, and her voice crackled warning over the intercom. "We must go no further..." she said. 

"My magic senses great danger!"

"We must investigate," said Bionic 1.

"No. She's right. If we go into the vortex we could be lost forever..."

Suddenly IQ's voice cut in over their intercoms, "Mayday! Mayday! We're caught in a time storm!"

"IQ!" cried Mother 1. She put hands to her head, gasping in pain. The future seemed to blur around them.

"Hang on, we're coming!" Bionic 1 cried.

"Look out, the storm's coming!" Mennehotep shouted over her com. To her fear the boat was swallowed up, figures and all by the storm. Realizing they may need her help, Menne flew headlong after them. 

* * *

Trynia opened her eyes. The plane had landed with a mighty crash. She glanced at her friends, who all lay unconscious. Their bionics were still active, but Sport 1 was hurt in the crash. Slowly she moved Shadowdancer off of him and onto a separate chair. She checked Sport 1 over, linking her own cybernetics to his. Yet his power was dangerously low. 

She linked him to the medical power supply. Had to keep his bionics active to keep his heart and lungs activated. Quickly she made sure IQ and Shadowdancer were okay. "Wake up," she urged them both, softly tapping their cheeks. IQ came round first, moaning. "What hit me!"

"You'll be okay," Trynia said. "But Sport 1 is badly damaged. I must see if I can..."

"Oh no," he gasped, running to his brother's side. Quickly he checked him over. "It's not so bad... if we had the proper replacement parts.... but he'll be out for awhile. If only we were back home the damage could be repaired more easily."

"Permit me to assist," said Trynia. "Perhaps if I link my own system to his, I can effect repairs..."

"How can you... wait... you have nanoprobes?"

"Yes. They can repair cybernetic tissues. If I can download a few into his body, I might be able to speed up the recovery..."

"But your system is different. How can you..."

"That's why I must link my program to his. To find out his specifications..."

"I don't see what we have to loose," said IQ. "I'll get a reading on where we are..."

Just then Shadowdancer came to her senses. Seeing Sport 1 linked to the life support, with Trynia leaning over him, she panicked. "What did you do to him!" she cried.

"Easy," IQ said, grabbing her. "It was an accident. Trynia's helping him..."

"Get away from him!" she shouted, rushing to Trynia. Yet Trynia held her back with a restraining hand.

"I will only say this once," she said calmly. "You have got to trust me. I know it's hard. But if I wanted to kill him I'd just leave him here... now back off and let me work! I know you care deeply for him! Let me help him if you return this feeling!"

"Easy," IQ said, holding her back. "It's the only way!"

"All right," she gritted. "But if he gets worse, you'll have me to deal with!" 

* * *

Soon Bionic 1 and his wife were through the interface. A wind whipped mightily at their faces, and they held their hands up to block it. Mennehotep flew behind them, feeling fate itself as it swirled and spilled around them. 

Mother 1 continued to put hands to her head. "My power's going crazy," she gasped. "I can see so many images rushing through..."

Around them reality blurred. The boat continued to sail on water. Yet they saw strange craft around them. 

Huge Spanish galleons roared past ocean liners, and Indian canoes. Futuristic craft almost collided into them.

"These are the ghosts of past and future," Mennehotep gasped. "No substance... just shadows..."

"She's right," Bionic 1 muttered. With his bionic sight he saw no physical substance to the images. Yet they were not holographic.

"Reality... is folding in," Mother One said. "And we are caught up in the flux..."

"We must get out of here," Bionic one said. "Mennehotep, can you see the exit?"

"There is one there," said she, pointing to a shimmering light ahead. "But we cannot be sure..."

Mother one gasped in pain. "The images... so fast... too much... I cannot handle them!"

"We must get out, for her sake! What have we to loose?"

"We could emerge in any time... any place," Mother one gasped, holding her hands to her head. It was swollen with so many images it felt as if it would burst.

"Mother 1," Menne said, landing in the boat. "Can you use your power to home in on one direction? Follow an image that's familiar... and I will guide you all..."

"Yes. The other ways... are danger... but that way... might be safe. But I don't know what century it will be in..."

Menne stared to where she pointed. Sand seemed to rise in dunes if she stared past. Instantly she spread wings and took off in that direction. Her wings carried her over strange dunes that looked familiar.

"This way!" she called.

Mother one felt herself blacking out. "I am sorry dear, I cannot..."

Bionic one kept his eyes on Mennehotep's shape. He guided the craft after her. Soon the images stopped blurring around them as they found themselves on a river.

Yet the boats on the river made him look twice. For no modern craft sailed there. He heard an emotional gasp over his wrist com. "I cannot believe it..."

"Where are we," he muttered. "We must have gone back in time!" 

Instantly he took in the scenes. Mother one blinked and sighed with relief. "Thank goodness you're okay," her husband said to her.

"The pain is gone. But where on Earth are we?"

"Do you feel up to projecting an image," asked he. "To hide the boat? At least to stop the people from staring..."

She did so, and the boat vanished from sight of the confused fishermen. Mennehotep's voice came over the com again. "I know where we are," said she.

"Where? It looks like..."

"Ancient Egypt," said she. "We are in Thebes. On the Nile river... in sight of the Royal Palace..."

Mother One and Bionic One exchanged glances. Now more than ever they had to trust Mennehotep. For she was from ancient Egypt, and might be their only chance of surviving..

* * *

Trynia's nanoprobes spread into Sport 1's body. Quickly they began the slow repairs. Shadowdancer stood next to him, worried out of her mind. 

"I'm scanning outside, and I'm reading massive temporal disturbances," said IQ. Rising from Sport 1, Trynia came to speak to him. 

"What about Eric... I mean Sport 1..." said Shadowdancer.

"He should be okay now. But it will take time for the nanoprobes to finish their work," Trynia said. 

"I'll stay with him," said the teenager as Trynia spoke with IQ. She patted Shadowdancer's shoulder to comfort her. Shadowdancer did not pull away, but looked up as Trynia walked away.

She looked as he showed her the scans. "Mm. True. We are in the midst of the time quake's epicenter."

"Why is the plane not torn apart," he asked her.

"Because, I took the liberty of programing a safe course through it," said Trynia. "It will avoid the worst temporal spots..."

"But where are we?" asked Shadowdancer.

"You might ask when are we," said IQ. "This time quake is the place where many times are converging..."

"But the wind..."

"Is just atmospheric distortion," Trynia explained, linking her hand to the computer. "We can still move in space as well. But moving a distance of only a few feet could land us up in any century. I must pilot us through with the utmost care..." 

* * *

"Ah," laughed Dr. Scarab. "This is better than I planned! Two parties are trapped... one in Ancient Egypt, and one in the future!" 

"What now, boss?" asked Glove and Mechanic.

"Round up those two bionic brats!"

"But what if they manage to get back?" Glove asked Dr. Scarab. "The ones in the future, I mean..."

"I will have changed history by then!" he laughed. "No bionic six will exist for them to come back to!"

At his master's order, Mechanic switched off the time machine. The time quakes sealed off, shutting the breaches instantly. "Now they can't get back the way they came," he laughed.

End of Part 1 

* * *

Will the Bennets be trapped in the past? And will Trynia's group be stuck in the future without a time machine? And what about Karate 1 and Rock 1? Find out in Part II! Click below to find out!!!! 

http://geocities.com/area51/meteor/1348/bionic2.html

  


End of part 1... 


	2. 

Disclaimer: This story is written for fanfiction enjoyment only 

Disclaimer: This story is written for fanfiction enjoyment only. The characters of Bionic Six are owned by Shima . . . The characters of Mummies Alive are property of DIC. Trynia Merin and Mennehotep, Tharankenat, Mennerana, and Sehnenrath are all the property of me, Trynia Merin Aka Theresa Meyers. Use them only with permission from me first . . . the character of Shadowdancer, Jazmin, Joshua, Samuel, Meg Bennett are property of Jade JJ, which I use with her permission. I am thankful to write such interesting stuff for the enjoyment of Bionic 6 and Mummies Alive fans as well!

* * *

Time quake, Part II! 

By Trynia Merin 

* * *

On the island, Rock 1 and Karate 1 used their quad runners to sweep the area. So far they had seen nothing out of the ordinary. Pulling his vehicle to a stop, Karate 1 felt a strange foreboding.

"What's wrong?" Rock 1 asked her brother, as she pulled to a stop beside him.

"I have a terrible feeling," he muttered.

"Oh come on. It's as quiet as . . . "

Then they saw the jet roaring overhead. A shimmering rip developed in reality itself, and both children put hands to their faces to blot out the blinding radiance. For the instant the plane slipped into the rip a flash spread across the whole sky.

Their eyes were overloaded with the influx of light. Momentarily they were blinded. However Rock 1's excellent sense of hearing picked up the attacking party as it descended upon them. "Look out!" she shouted to Karate 1.

Responding to years of training, he anticipated his attacker, gunning his quad runner. Seconds after Klunk's rock hit, the vehicle had moved on. Even blind the two children were not helpless.

"Ambush!" Karate 1 cried. Reaching out with his karate senses he tried to anticipate the situation. Instinct told him that there were four attackers. Most probably Glove, Klunk, Madame O and a new one, called Goo. His suspicions were confirmed when his quad runner impacted something soft. Goo had positioned himself right before the quad runner. Instantly the vehicle was coated with thick sticky masses of mucilage. Goo grunted to Klunk with anticipation.

Meanwhile Rock 1 could hear Madame O's laugh. Raising up her speakers, she blasted in the direction with a powerful beam of focused sound. She could hear the crackle of Madam O's harp as its shockwave crashed with hers. Then Rock 1 shifted to her new weapon. Instead of sound, a static profusion of sounds erupted, blocking Madam O's weapon. White sound. It had been IQ's idea. Rock 1 sprayed the entire area with the white sound.

No longer did she hear Madam O. Now she felt the blasts from Glove's weapon. Gunning her quad runner, she fired its armaments in the direction of his percussive blasts. There came an angry shout from him, followed by a thud. She grinned, sensing by her hearing that he had been hit.

Karate leapt from the Quad runner, somersaulting. Before him he sensed a massive object. One kick confirmed it was Klunk. Again he rolled over, toward the direction of Rock 1's engine. "Leave him to me!" Rock 1 cried, blasting toward where she heard Klunk and Goo's outshouted grunts.

However, Goo was not impressed. Taking the quad runner he'd absorbed, the mucilaginous villain hurled it right at Rock 1's quad runner. She barely managed to hear the oncoming object, leaping from her vehicle at the last moment.

Karate meanwhile sensed Madam o and Glove were nearby. He flew toward their life force, he could sense in his instinct. His legs flashed out in a series of kicks. One actually connected, kicking Glove's weapons. However Madame O had recovered her weapon, and blasted at him.

Rock 1 activated her white noise. However Goo hurled a piece of his form at her, gumming up her sound transmitters. The feedback exploded, stunning her. Then there was a small round object that hurled in Karate's direction. It exploded, even though he thought he'd avoided it. The explosion showered them all with glue. Goo's weaponry, the glue bomb, had snared them.

Klunk laughed. His cousin had shown both Glove and Madame O that simple procedures worked best. Together he and Klunk laughed.

"All right," Glove grumbled. "Let's round them up and take them back to base!"

* * *

On the banks of the river they waited, singularly impressed by the look of the strangers. Mennehotep stood and marveled at the condition of the buildings in ancient Egypt. She had not been back for years. Yet somehow she had a feeling it was during her husband Tuthmosis reign. She could see his mighty statues distant in the royal palace, which they were rather close to. Also she realized just whose house it was they were moored up to. 

"Go ahead and pull up," she told Bionic 1. "This is a house of a man that might help us . . . "

Thar's magic sensed the presence of another Ancient Egyptian. He quickly he raced to find her. Yet the only sight that met his beryl eyes was the sight of the boat. Because he was a magician, Thar could see past the holographic illusion. Mother 1 sensed this, and shivered.

"Papa, who are those strange people in that boat," Thar's daughter asked. He smiled at her, pleased her magical powers had begun to develop. Already she could see things that many people could not boast of. Without even having to learn from him.

"Strangers. They do not wear clothes of Msir. Neither Doshret or Khemet," he remarked, referring to the two kingdoms that comprised their land.

Mennehotep knew the dangers in tampering with history. She circled, and then landed on the beach. Thar's daughter gasped with surprise. "Papa! Look! Is it Thoth," she wondered, realizing the armor of the sacred Ibis.

They stepped forwards to greet her. Mennehotep inclined her head to Tharankenat as he bowed. "Most noble aspect of Thoth, you honor us with your presence . . . "

"Tharankenat, I know of your works well," said Mennehotep, deciding to let him think she was a spirit. Till his mind would suspect otherwise. "There are two in need of your wisdom and help. Can they be permitted to take to your beach?"

"But of course. If you mean the strangers in the boat there . . . "

"Come up here," Mennehotep called to them. Bionic 1 shrugged at his wife, and they both pulled the boat ashore. Quickly they covered it with nearby fishnets to conceal it. Nodding at each other Mother 1 decided to try casting an illusion of them in Egyptian clothing. As they came onto the sight of the Wizard and his daughter, he inclined his head.

"I welcome you to Msir," said he. "What brings you here, strangers?"

"We . . . are in trouble," Bionic 1 said. "There was a storm . . . and we need . . . "

"Before I do anything else, I can see your attempt to cover your appearance. I know you are not from Msir, and your spells are rather good even though I can see your true aspects. Yet I sense no malevolence. You have traveled far . . . but I am not certain yet what your business is."

"Please, they are lost. Can you give them the sanctuary of your home?"

"They are welcome. But I must ask, aspect of Thoth. Your voice is that similar to my former mistress, Queen Nefru-re . . . "

Mennehotep deactivated her armor. Tharankenat gasped and bowed to her. "Great Wife you have returned from the Afterlife," he gasped.

"Sorry to scare you, noble Wizard. But I come from there yes. And these two have need of your skills."

"By all means enter my domicile. Rest and food will be offered you . . . "

Jack and Helen sighed as they deactivated their bionics. They decided they needed to save power in this manner. "Come on in . . . " said the little girl, offering her hand to Helen. "Tell me how you do that neat illusion spell, milady . . . "

Helen let the girl lead them in. Mennehotep spoke quietly with Tharankenat, asking him many questions about where they were. "Yes . . . Tuthmosis is Pharaoh," said he. 

"That is good to know. And my children?"

"Are well and good," said Tharankenat. "My wife has seen to it that they know of your and honor your memory . . . "

"Where . . . is your wife?"

"At the royal palace. She will be home soon . . . "

"Good. I need to talk to you in private . . . "

Jack and Helen were offered all sorts of hospitality at the Wizard's house. Soon they both bathed and took the clean clothes offered them. As they ate a meal of figs and pomegranates they spent time talking to the children. For whom should join them but a boy of about age 12, who carried a palate under one arm. He was rather tall and thin, and a single long braid hung down his back. He wore a white kilt with a green and turquoise frontispiece. And the brown eyes regarded them both with curiosity. The girl laughed as she chatted with Helen all about magic Papa taught her.

"Are you a sorceress?" she asked

"Well, I guess you could say that," Helen smiled. Her heart ached to think of Meg and the other children so far in the future. Heaven knew what was going on with them that moment.

"What are you names?"

"I am Sehnenrath," said the boy, bowing to Jack. "And this is my sister Mennerana. Our father told us you were from a faraway land . . . "

"Are you a scribe?" Jack asked him. Sehnenrath seated himself on the floor, unrolling a papyrus sheet as he began to record their conversation.

"I am apprenticed to one of the best in Thebes," he said proudly. 

"I'm going to be a magician!" Mennerana squealed with delight.

Tharankenat returned with Mennehotep at his side. "She who is my mistress has told me you are from the future," he said. "Perhaps there is something I can do to help you."

"How do you know . . . how . . . is it wise to have told him?" Jack asked Mennehotep.

"It is all right. I am not changing history," said Mennehotep. "Tharankenat is familiar with . . . time travel. In fact . . . "

"I had a good teacher," said he. "Over many years I have labored to make spells that can reach beyond this time into others. Without the crude machines that I am sure you must have used in your future to arrive. But I cannot be certain of the exact day or hour I could send you back . . . "

Just then the servant woman came. "Your wife has been summoned, and is on her way," she said.

"Thank you. Once she arrives, we can begin to try and send you back to your own time . . . " said Tharankenat. "My Queen, do you have need of energy?"

"Yes . . . "

"There is a sarcophagus in my labs. Mennerana, would you be so kind as to take the Lady Queen to the place she can rest and restore her powers?"

"Yes Papa," said she, taking Mennehotep away with her.

"Was she . . . named after Mennehotep?"

"Yes," smiled Thar modestly. "That is correct."

* * *

Meanwhile in the future, IQ and Trynia exited the plane. The time storm had died down, depositing them in a rather odd place. There were no large buildings. Merely green fields for miles. Large flat panels on stilts turned their faces to a bright blazing sun. They surmised it was somewhere in a desert they had landed. 

"Ambient radiation is much higher," Trynia remarked. "I can sense there is ultraviolet radiation coming through in much greater quantities . . . "

"Then we must be in the future," IQ surmised. "The ozone layer must have been seriously decayed to let this much UV down . . . "

"And the soil," Trynia remarked, stooping down to pick up a handful of soil between her fingers. "It feels as if a whole other layer has been deposited . . . "

"Look over there," IQ indicated, where several spires rose a few miles distant. "A city . . . "

"Mm. Looks to be Terran," muttered she.

"Much more advanced. How long in the future did we go?" he asked.

Trynia concentrated. "Judging from what I have observed . . . I would say perhaps anywhere from fifty to one hundred revolutions of your planet about your sun . . . "

"Surely time travel is routine," said IQ. "Why the advances they were making . . . "

"It could very well be illegal," said Trynia. "There are many worlds that discover time travel, only to abandon it because it is too dangerous of a technology to have . . . "

On board the plane, Shadow dancer changed out of her bionics to save power. She became Jasmin once more. Slowly she took his hand, and urged him to wake. Before much longer, Sport-1's bionics deactivated, making him Eric once more. "J.. Jasmin," he groaned, his eyes flickering open.

"Yes . . . it's I. Are you all right?"

"Yeah. But my head hurts. And where are we?"

"Trynia and IQ left . . . to scout around. You were badly hurt. And Trynia put some sort of thing in you . . . called nanites . . . to repair some damage to your bionics . . . "

"Nanites," he muttered. "That's cool..."

"How can you be so sure," she sniffed. "Trynia's an alien . . . "

"But nanites are good things. Such a technology is centuries ahead of even our time. JD was trying to perfect ones to repair us . . . and got nowhere. Not even Dr. Sharp could invent ones . . . "

"I don't trust her . . . " Jasmin grumbled.

"I'm still alive. So why can't you give her a chance?"

"What if she's captured JD?"

"We could go find them. And ask them . . . " said Eric, trying to stand. Surprisingly he felt rather good, despite his headache. Jasmin helped him partway. He tried his legs. They were better.

"Bionics on!" he shouted. As did Jasmin. Soon Sport 1 and Shadow dancer stood their in their uniforms. 

"Are you powered up enough?" she asked.

"Should be. I was hooked up to the ships power supply. And that has probably recharged my bionics. It you I'm worried about . . . "

"I have much energy left," said she. "Let's go find them!"

Rushing out they found IQ and Trynia heading toward the city. Shadow dancer and Sport 1 got onto a Quad Runner and roared after them. Trynia and IQ had one of the other vehicles, Trynia's hovercraft which had been loaded onto the plane for safekeeping.

But Shadow dancer cringed. For she sensed a presence that was dangerous. "Watch out!" she shouted. Suddenly both vehicles were under attack from all around. Sport 1 leapt out to deal with the automated defenses. They looked a lot like JEP's own toys. And Sport 1 didn't trust JEP very much at all. What if he was here, and was evil like Dr. Scarab?

Trynia shouted, "Offensive Mode, activate!" ash she gave the hovercraft controls to IQ. Both she and Sport 1 began to fight. Trynia's armor was Egyptian in Design, with an Egyptian headdress and a metallic gold kilt which matched an armored chest plate. Her arms and legs were covered with cybernetic armor, gold tinged. Electromagnetic blasts spewed from her fingertips at the hovering drones. Sport 1 got out his bat and hurled lightening balls at the others. Her legs sent her jumping to heights of nearly fifty feet as she smashed drones to smithereens. Sport 1 flipped and spun as he too took out many of the drones. IQ and Shadow dancer used the armaments of their vehicles to destroy the rest.

* * *

Helen and Jack almost leapt to their feet in surprise as Tharankenat's wife came into the room. Gold flashed from her left cheek and her left hand as the sun hit her figure. The long hair was styled like the typical Egyptian's, and she wore a white wrapdress and gold bracelets on her upper arms. The distinctive semicircular collar was almost identical to Tharankenat's, except it was smaller. 

"Trynia!" they gasped in unison.

"Do I know you?" she asked them.

"But we just saw you in the future," Jack gasped. "What are you doing in the past?"

"Wait. Say no more," Trynia said, holding up a warning hand. "I sense you are from the future. But I probably have not met you yet . . . or will soon. You must be very careful what you do and say . . . "

"I know. WE don't want to pollute time," said Jack. "I know all about the rules . . . "

"What century are you from?" Trynia asked them, as they all sat down.

"The twentieth," said Helen. "But how are you here?"

"My time machine malfunctioned stranding me here. Since, I have tried to repair it. But since I am sworn to uphold the laws of time, there was little technology I could realistically use. So Tharankenat and I have been exploring alternatives. Such as magical and psychic powers to open time space portals . . . so far we have had limited success . . . "

"Then you could send us back," said Jack eagerly . . . 

"You must help us," said Helen. "Our children . . . "

"I will do what I can. Be assured of that. I am a mother myself . . . "

"I can see that," Helen smiled. Why had Trynia not mentioned she had children before?

Thar came out, and seeing his wife took her in his arms. Gently they kissed, before coughing and turning to their visitors. "You must excuse me," Trynia remarked. "We have not seen each other for a day or so . . . "

"Don't stop because of us," Jack laughed. Helen winked at Trynia as if to understand. After all, they were a happily married couple themselves.

"Are you ready my love?" Thar asked her. "They have told you . . . "

"It may be dangerous. But no less so than leaving them here in our time . . . "

* * *

As the drones lay in ruins, suddenly several costumed figures sprang into view. Three children suddenly attacked, shouting. Trynia wished not to hurt them, even if they were an enemy. Sport 1 fended off blows from the older boy, as JD fought the younger boy. Trynia simply erected an em shield to deflect the blows of the youngest boy. "Get out of here!" the girl cried. "Invaders . . . " 

"Who are you calling invaders?" Shadow dancer shouted, leaping off her Quad Runner. "You attacked us!"

The girl stopped cold. "Call off the attack!" she shouted to the others. Unharmed they withdrew.

"What is going on here," Trynia asked them. "We mean no harm. We are simply looking for someone who can assist us . . . "

"That's a weird costume lady," the youngest boy said to her.

"Looks Egyptian," said the girl. "What's up with that?"

Sport 1 turned to the older boy. "See. We're no harm. I'm sport 1 and this is Shadowdancer . . . "

All three children turned a shade of pale. "You can't be . . . " Said the girl. IQ looked at the other two, who also looked at him as if they were seeing a ghost.

"Is there someone here . . . who knows about time travel," JD asked them. He deactivated his bionics, and bade the others do the same. Already their power levels were dangerously low. Only Sport 1 was still powered up.

"My mom and dad," said the youngest. "And yes . . . it is possible they are who they say they are . . . "

"But . . . " said the girl and boy, who looked like twins. Sport 1 thought they looked an awful lot like Jazmin . . . 

"I know. If you guys are from the past . . . it's dangerous for you to see the future," said the youngest boy. 

"I am aware of time pollution. Perhaps if I went to speak with this scientist," said Trynia, instantly understanding something. 

"But what about . . . " said Shadowdancer.

"Stay here with them. And help them fix their plane," said the boy. "I'll take this Egyptian woman to mom and dad. And you gotta stay here . . . "

"Wait a minute," said Sport 1. "Why?"

"Can I talk to you for a minute," the youngest boy said to IQ. He whispered something to IQ, whose eyes widened with surprise. He turned to his brother.

"We can't go with them. But I will go with Trynia to make sure things go okay. You have to stay here . . . "

"Why can't I go, and you can?" Sport 1 and Shadowdancer wanted to know.

"It's a case of time pollution," Trynia said. "And besides, you must fix the plane. Trust us . . . I know it's hard, Shadowdancer. But these two will stay with you . . . and keep your company . . . "

Glancing at the twins, Shadowdancer and Sport 1 sighed. IQ had a good reason if he was this serious about going away alone. And time pollution? That was serious. Long ago Sharp had explained to them the dangers of time travel. If they found out about their future . . . then it could affect the past in a serious manner. Trynia knew this. So they had to trust her, and IQ to make things right.

The young boy looked at both of them. "Thanks for catching on," he said to them.

"Who are you," IQ demanded. "And why did you . . . "

"You're gonna have to promise not to tell," said he. "If I tell you my name."

"Okay. But I hate keeping secrets from Eric . . . "

"Trust me, you must," said the boy. "Okay. I'm called Mer-1, in my bionic form. But when I'm not armored, I'm called Samuel Bennett . . . "

"You mean . . . are you related to us?"

"Yeah. I'm the youngest kid . . . oh you'll find out. My sis and bro are twins. Meg and Joshua. They're older than me, and sometimes they pick on me . . . "

* * *

A similar discussion was happening in the garden of the modern house. Anxiously Shadowdancer and Sport 1 waited for an explanation. 

"Who are you?" Shadowdancer asked.

"My name's Meg," said the girl. "And this is Josh. We're like you . . . but we aren't allowed to tell you any more than that."

"But you look like you know who we are . . . "

"Yeah," said Jasmin.

"Yes. You're Jazmin and Eric," said the girl named Meg. All had deactivated their bionics, and sat around in modern fold out chairs. Still Jasmin didn't' trust either twin an inch.

"We . . . can't tell you any more . . . because you are . . . related to us. And if we told you . . . "

"Oh, I get it," said Eric. "So you're probably our descendants or something . . . "

"Yeah, that's it," said Joshua. "Hang tight. Samuel' be able to help you guys get back to the past . . . "

* * *

Back in ancient Egypt, the past had come very much alive with anachronisms. Within Thar and Trynia's lab the Bennetts now stood. Yet the sight that met their eyes amazed them. Egyptian tables were laden with glass Retorts and strange electronics components. They all had an Egyptian motif to them. Most Notable was a sculpture of quartz and gold, assembled of interconnecting bars in a pyramid shape. 

Several wires ran to a power source . . . a strangely shaped gemstone that Trynia attempted to adjust. Thar bade the Bennetts stand to one side as Trynia fiddled with the quartz rods.

"Amazing," Jack muttered as he took in her pyramid-shaped device. "Is that the dimensional nexus for a time machine?"

"It helps to secure the breach. But my husband uses the actually summoning spell to make the portal. It's something he's been working on with me for . . . several years . . . "

"Time spells are my specialty," said he. "I wrote a few in my own scrolls. Or rather Sehnenrath wrote them for me as I dictated them . . . "

"So that's why your son's a scribe," Jack joked. Thar grinned.

"Saves time when the kids help with the chores," Helen nodded.

"Are you ready, my beloved?" Thar asked his wife. She nodded. Helen and Jack braced themselves as Thar waved his staff. Strange green energy emanated from the serpent head as he waved in a wide swath. Great power seemed to coalesce and surge as ancient Egyptian words spewed from the wizard's mouth.

Then the power hit the far wall, expanding into a glowing disk. Simultaneously Trynia's device activated, humming and crackling with the power. As Helen and Jack stared, the disk grew in size till it was wide enough to admit a person.

"What about the boat?" Helen asked.

"We will hide it, and once we figure out how to send it, you will have it back," Trynia explained. "But it is most important you go down the corridor now . . . "

"All right. But is it the right century?"

"As far as my machine can calculate . . . but I may be off by a few hours!"

Gripping hands, Helen and Jack leapt through the portal. It closed behind them. They found themselves standing on the beach of the island once more. Yet they were still clad in the Egyptian clothes that Thar had given them!

"Oops, I guess we should have changed," Helen giggled, as she saw her reflection in the water. A black wig covered her hair, and she wore a long white dress. Jack was bare chested save the Egyptian kilt around his waist, and the sandals. 

"Never mind the costume party," he said. "Let's meet up with Rock 1 and Karate !!"

"Bionics On!" they cried. Instantly the clothes vanished as their uniforms blazed on.

"Wait, what about Mennehotep?" Helen asked.

A blaze of amethyst power crackled as Mennehotep suddenly shot through the portal. She was armored as before. "Ah, there you are," said she.

"Good, you are back," Mother 1 said. "Are you all right?"

"I have enough energy to help you. They will send the boat through shortly . . . "

"Great to have you back with us," Bionic 1 said to her. "Now let's find the others, and see what we can do to help IQ and our other kids . . . "

"And Trynia," Menne added.

"Of course," said Mother 1, as they ran across the island. 

* * *

Back in Egypt, in Thebes, Trynia's heart leapt at her successful transit. Thar stood over the machine, looking intently as Trynia made adjustments. "This is the closest I have reached to actual dimensional transport. A pity it only works on this planet . . . " 

Sighing her husband shook his head. "I am most happy for you, my heart," said he.

She turned to face him. "I know what you are thinking. If this is working now . . . "

"You and I have found such happiness," said Thar. "I have given you a home, and you have given me two children of which I am proud. Does this mean you will leave my side?"

"Thar, you know that it will perhaps take many more years to perfect this," said she, taking his hand in her cybernetic one. "You may well be dead by the time I can actually leave! But I have my duty . . . "

"As I have mine," he sighed.

"Even if I must return, I shall come back. For you and our children can come with me to my home world . . . I am sure my superiors would allow it . . . "

"But Egypt is my home," he sighed. "How will I live on a world of machines?"

"You would be surprised," said she, as she glanced into his beryl eyes. "But this is academic. We don't have proof my machine can send me back at this point . . . "

"No my love. Time is on my side," he said, amused as he took her into his arms to kiss his wife. 

Mennerana and Sehnenrath came in at that moment. "Mama, Papa," Mennerana said. "I just got a really strange feeling. Like a premon . . . premon . . . "

"Premonition?" Trynia supplied, helpfully to her daughter.

Thar shivered, holding Trynia close. "I feel it too . . . "

Trynia gasped and swooned in pain. Thar grasped her to himself, concerned. "Are you all right . . . " he asked her, gently holding her out at arm's length.

"Mama?" Sehnenrath asked, as he and his sister went to their parent's sides.

"I had a sense of a time disturbance . . . " she gasped in pain. Thar whispered a spell, gently soothing the headache away.

"It was one of your episodes?" he said, as they all helped her into a chair to sit down.

"Yes. But . . . oh! By the Matrix!" she cried, holding both hands to her head. Concerned, Thar grasped her as she shrieked in great pain.

"Mama!" cried Menne, as Sehnenrath held her aside. He'd seen his mother before like this, when her machine was being tested those many years. Any disturbance in reality was painful for her.

Suddenly her machine crackled to life. "What is this," Thar gasped. "I did not speak my spell!"

"Someone's forcing open time," said Trynia. "And I forgot to close the conduit . . . we must shut off my machine and seal the rip!"

"Children, leave us!"

"No I want to help!" Mennerana cried.

Instantly Sehnenrath grabbed his protesting sister, and pulled her back. He knew better than to disobey their parents at a time like this. Yet it was to no avail. The rip sucked everything in the room toward it. Vials, scrolls, machinery hurled. Anchoring herself, Trynia grabbed her husband's hand as he was pulled. Sehnenrath grabbed his father's robe, and clung desperately to Mennerana.

Trynia's cybernetic strength held them back. "I won't let you go!" she shouted to them. 

"I cannot hold on!" Sehnenrath cried.

"You must!" Thar shouted to their son. Yet the time wind tore mercilessly at the family. Trynia's fingers dug into the stone of the floor as they were pulled backwards. Her other hand gripped Thar's with a viselike strength. He grunted as her hand clamped firmly, despite the pain. Yet she could break his bones if she held much tight.

"I'm sorry," she gasped at the look of pain.

"Don't let go!" he shouted. "No matter how much it may hurt me!"

But to no avail. Sehnenrath lost his grip as Thar's cloak ripped. Both children sailed into the rift. 

"No!" screamed Trynia and Thar together.

"Let me go after them!" he bade her. "I will protect them . . . and you must bring us back . . . "

"Thar no!" she cried as he released her grip and vanished. Her heart sank as her whole family was there no longer!

"Tharankenat!" she screamed. 

* * *

Mer-1 lead Trynia and IQ to a strange building. It was ultramodern. IQ gasped as he realized it was his own home, just much more modernized. "This . . . is where you live?" 

"Yeah! All of us. You see now why I can't let the others know?"

"But then you are . . . "

"Yeah," said Mer-1. "See now?"

As they entered the Bennett house, they glanced around in wonder. Much had changed in thirty years. For that is what Trynia guessed was the time factor here. 

Just then there was a beeping on the large screen television. Mer1 answered it, activating it in voice command. "What's up?'

A figure swirled into view. "It's JEP," said the voice. Trynia and IQ looked with interest at the man on the screen. "Where is Sharp?" IQ asked. For the lab in which JEP stood looked much like Sharps had. Strange how when many things had changed in the future, this one lab had not.

"I've confirmed a temporal disturbance in your area... and have you dealt with it?"

"I'm dealing with it right here in the living room," said Mer1. "Meet Trynia and IQ..."

"Wait. I'll use my machine and come there in a few seconds..."

Trynia gasped as she felt time folding. Before them stood a man with one robotic leg, his ice blue eyes and red hair streaked with grey. Once it had been flaming red, but now it was nearly white, with a few red streaks beneath. Nodding to Mer 1 he approached Trynia Merin and IQ.

"JEP," IQ shook his head. "I can't believe it. But where is Sharp! That was the interior of his lab we saw on the view screen..."

"I took Dr. Sharp's place," said JEP. "When he was old enough to retire . . . "

Another person entered the room, and glanced about. Beside himself, IQ gasped. "It can't be you!" 

"Yes. I'm afraid it is. For now you meet me from the past, and fate will take its course."

"I am glad you understand what is at stake here," Trynia nodded to him.

"Yes. You told me much about the Laws of Time. And we must uphold them. That is why you are here, brother separate from me and Jazmin . . . "

JEP and Trynia both shared a glance of mutual understanding. Slowly JEP extended his hand to Trynia, and they shook in greeting. The feeling of JEP's hand on Trynia held no fear or revulsion, rather fond appreciation for a cybernetic life form. "You are most intriguing," JEP told her as the future Eric and IQ spoke quietly to one side.

"As are you. I sense the aura from a robotic limb," said she, glancing at his leg.

"What percentage of you is . . . bionic . . . cybernetic?"

"Fifty five percent of my body is cybernetic. Of that fifty-five about twenty-five is fully robotic . . . and of my living tissue the forty five percent is integrated most completely with my cybersystems."

"Fascinating! What is your planet of origin?"

Amused, Trynia smiled. "You realize the truth then? That I am not originally from this world."

"It is a scientific hypothesis," said he. 

"The designation of my planet of origin is Mantissa. At least that is the name by which it is commonly called by its inhabitants. The actual location is in the same spiral arm of your galaxy as this solar system. But owing to the fact of stellar drift . . . "

"Guys, I hate to break up the scientific discussion, but we have a problem . . . " said Eric.

"I apologize," JEP and Trynia said together.

"Yes. Eric was telling me you have a working time machine," said IQ. "If so, we must use it at once to send us all back . . . "

Suddenly Trynia doubled over in pain. JEP caught her shoulder in his hand. "Are you quite all right . . . "

"Temporal disturbances . . . off the scale," she gasped. "Someone from the past is tampering with the structure . . . of reality! Cannot . . . take much more of this . . . "

"Fascinating, you sense temporal distortions," JEP realized, helping her to a chair Eric pulled up.

"Yes," said Trynia. "And this one is the absolute worst . . . "

"I must get my machine here," JEP said, pulling out a remote control. Depressing a switch, he materialized a strange contraption of wires and electronics components within a nanosecond.

"Quite an admirable piece of work," Trynia remarked, examining the device. "You have succeeded in constructing a very advanced time machine." 

"I thank you," JEP said. "Allow me to take scans of the time-scape since you can sense temporally distortions, what do you make of this event.". Both of them glanced at the screen of the time device. Moving aside JEP allowed Trynia to type machine codes into the terminal. Before long she had rung up an image of five dimensional space. A huge tearing strain was visible.

"It's worse that I thought," JEP muttered. 

"Yes. You would agree that the time rip is happening from the twentieth century?" 

"Yes. I saw the same disturbance a few minutes before you arrived. I had contacted Sport 1 to ask his advice. Then your arrival was detected by Polaris 1, and Mer 1." 

"What do we do now?" IQ asked them. 

"We must get all of you back to the past, in your proper place. And stop Scarab's time tampering once and for all," JEP said. 

"I agree," said Trynia. "But we must take great care. where are Jazmin and Sport 1 now?" 

"IN the other room," said Mer 1 as he walked into the room with them. "They're still pretty shaken up. What do we do?" 

"We must send these four back to their own times at once. Have Sport 1 and Shadowdancer come in here. We will send them back immediately." Discreetly the future Eric excused himself, slipping back into the shadows. He hid from his past self in the next room. Before long Sport 1 and Shadowdancer came in with the twins. They looked none the worse for wear. 

"Are you okay?" Sport 1 asked IQ and Trynia. Jazmin noted Trynia looked in great pain, suffering in silence from her temporal disturbances. 

"Yes," said IQ. "We have to get back to the past as soon as possible." 

"JEP!" Jazmin gasped, seeing her savior to the side. 

"Nice to see you again, Jazmin," he smiled. "I fear I look a bit worse for wear." 

"You . . . you look so old," she gasped, before she snapped shut her mouth, realizing she had said something rude. 

JEP laughed. "Not to worry. Do you think you're ready to go back to your own time?" 

"JEP, Mer 1 told us you replaced Sharp," Sport 1 broke in. 

"I cannot tell you anymore," he said. "Except that the others have brought your craft, and have repaired it. You can use it to go back into the past." 

"He's right," said Trynia as IQ helped her to stand up. "Let's not waste any more time." 

* * *

Meanwhile Helen and Jack scanned the immediate beach area. Bionic 1's bionic eyes suddenly detected a strange energy reading out to sea. It wasn't the temporal energy, but it was odd. 

Mother one put hands to her head, "Meg! Bengi!" she cried aloud. "They're captured!" 

"Can you tell where Helen?" he asked his wife. 

"Some base. I can see fish. and plankton . . . must be underwater." 

"Hmm. Let me see if their coms are still active," he muttered, punching in a code. Indeed the coms were still active, even if the links were dead. Mennehotep watched with confusion. Technology still dizzied her. 

"What is to be done now?" 

"We must go underwater to save them," Jack said to his wife. 

"But the pressure could crush us," Helen protested. "We have no submarine. And our boat is back in ancient Egypt." 

"I might be able to withstand it," said Jack. "My bionics will allow me to swim, and I can hold my breath for a long time." 

"Of course," said Helen. "Then when you are down there, perhaps you can signal us. But how do we get down to help you? And Menne, your wrappings may disintegrate in the salt water . . . and my average bionics might not withstand the pressure of the water . . . " 

"My armor makes me impervious to the brine of the sea," Menne explained. "And as for you . . . you said something about a submarine. I was thinking . . . perhaps I could harden the air about you, and make a container . . . to carry you down with me." 

"Harden the air?" Jack and Helen wondered together. 

"Yes. Make . . . a what do you call it . . . bubble?" 

"Perfect," said Helen. "A sphere is the best shape to resist water pressure. Go ahead honey. Signal us when it's safe." 

"I will my dear," said he, kissing her as he readied himself to dive into the tumbling surf. Menne and Helen watched as he disappeared beneath the waves. 

* * *

"You will never see your parents again!" Dr. Scarab leered at the two captured children. 

"That's what you think!" Rock 1 spat. "They'll figure out your plan, and when they come back for us." 

"That's all you know," Glove laughed. "How will they come back? As mummies?" 

"What?" Karate and Rock cried together. 

"I sent your parents on a little trip. To ancient Egypt. They will never return!" laughed Dr. Scarab. "Since I doubt anyone back then knows about time travel." Rock 1 remembered their mummy friends. And how his underestimation of them had caused his defeat before. 

"Don't bet on it," said Karate 1. "Remember they built the Pyramids, and the temple of Hapshatsup. Nobody can raise those obelisks like her builders did!" 

"Obelisks and pyramids are nothing compared to time travel. Perhaps I'll keep you alive for amusement!" Suddenly there was an urgent bleeping on his time machine console. 

"What's happening?" Dr. Scarab asked. 

"Your machine's detecting a time disturbance" 

"What?" Dr. Scarab exploded. "That's not possible!" 

"What do you call that?" asked Rock 1. "Somebody else has something you indented." 

"Get them out of my sight!" he shouted. Klunk and Madame 0 escorted the children to cells on the lower levels. 

"Where's it coming from?" Dr. Scarab asked. 

"The twenty first century," Mechanic said. It was his job to monitor the time machine, and see what effects it had on reality. 

"I might have known," Dr. Scarab grumbled. "Those brats found a way back. But I'll fix them! No future genius is going to stop me from changing the future. The instant they try to use that machine to come back, I'll send them someplace else!" 

* * *

In the future, Sport 1 and Jazmin readied themselves to return. They said goodbye to the children and JEP, outside the house. Trynia was helped along by JD and Mer 1. Still she felt a bit sick. They helped her to the hatch of the plane. 

"Will you be okay?" Mer 1 asked her. 

"I think. At least the disturbance has stopped for now." 

JEP regarded them all. "Take care. I will activate the machine from here. And spread it's effect to encompass the plane. It will carry you through the time lanes to your own century." 

"Thank you for you help," Sport 1 said to JEP. He extended his hand to the scientist, who shook it warmly. 

"I hope you will have more trust in me in the future," he said. "For I am your friend." 

"You are, in any time," Jazmin said, and gave him a hug and a kiss on the cheek. Her mentor smiled. Turning to Trynia he said, "I have great respect for your knowledge of temporal engineering. Be assured I will help you uphold the laws of time." 

"It is good to know humans like you are serious about this," said Trynia. "I know you will not fail me." 

"Bye," they all said, shaking hands with the future Bennett children. Mer 1 felt a strange sense this was not the last time he'd see them all. He watched as they climbed into the plane. Retros fired as it took off. Then JEP threw the switch on his machine, enveloping the craft in a strange glow. Sizzling it vanished from sight. 

* * *

Thar drifted in a void without sound or reason. His mystical senses told him he was between the now and now. Being accustomed to the existence of other dimensions, he was not frightened. Yet awed by the majesty of time itself. Trynia's time with the ancient Egyptian sorcerer gave him quite an understanding of temporal mechanics. His magic also gave him a sense of how reality was structured. By pure thought he sent his body toward the source of his daughter's cries. 

Telepathically they were linked, for they were both magicians. Her thoughts came to him, distant one minute, close the next. Extending his staff he willed his body along the void. A strange craft appeared in the void with him. His mind sensed a familiar presence on board. Could it be she? He also sensed other mystical energies present. Thar muttered a teleportation spell as he sought to board the craft. 

On board, Trynia rested in the back seat. Jazmin and Sport 1 watched as JD piloted the craft. There was a sense of anticipation as they thought about returning home. "How long will the trip take?" asked Sport 1.

"It takes no time," Trynia muttered, opening her eyes. 

"JEP's calculations should get us there soon," said IQ. Then there was a sudden turbulence that shook the craft. Everyone hung on for dear life. 

"Another one!" Trynia cried out, gripping the arms of the seat. Her fingers twisted the seat frame out of joint. 

"Hang on!" 

"What's happening?" Jazmin cried. 

"Time storm!" Trynia cried. "Someone is using the time machine again... to stop us... AAAAAHH!" They held her down with their bionic arms as she writhed in extreme pain. Just then there was a crackling of green energy. A sphere of light crackled as something materialized in the room. 

"What is that?" Jazmin gasped, readying herself. The light solidified into green smoke. A tall man in Egyptian kilt and henhet stood there in the cabin, glancing in wonder. In his grasp he held a tall staff, shaped like a carved serpent. His long green cloak rippled in the cabin as the energy dissipated. Instantly Jazmin sent lightening at him. 

"Who are you!" she shouted, before anyone could stop her from attacking. However the man deflected her lightening with a mystical blue barrier. 

"Ptah," he shouted, in ancient Egyptian. His words echoed strangely, for no one could understand. 

"Tharankenat!"Trynia cried in extreme shock. "Stop Jazmin! I know him! He's a friend." 

Sport 1 held her back as JD rounded on them. He put the ship on auto pilot. "We're trapped here!" he cried. "I cannot see the interface." 

"Trynia!" shouted the wizard, rushing to her as she stood up from the chair. Instantly she was folded in a pair of strong arms like pythons. Eager lips found hers, kissing her passionately. This was very unexpected, for he did not normally show affection so openly. Yet it was good to be so held again. 

"Thar," she gasped, as he withdrew from her for a moment. "What... how?" 

"My love," he said, in ancient Egyptian again. 

"What is going on here?" everyone wanted to know. 

"This is Tharankenat," said Trynia, arm around his waist. "He... is an old friend of mine. Thar, you might want to try a lingua graphic spell?" 

He chanted and there was a blaze of light. Then Thar spoke again, in good English. He had a slight British accent, "I must apologize for frightening your companions so. When I sensed your presence I thought it wise to enlist your aid." 

"Where are you from?" asked Jazmin. "You look really familiar." 

"Thebes, in the mighty kingdom of Khemet... upper of the lands of Msir," he said, before Trynia shook her head with a smile. Here he was alive! In her arms! 

"What I mean is, what's up with you materializing in here," Sport 1 said. "Not to be rude and all, but there was this time rip thing." 

"I assure you I had nought to do with that," said Thar, still holding Trynia close. "There were two others like you, who arrived in my home beside the banks of the Nile. With flesh fused of metal. I assisted them to return to their time. Yet there was a rip that took our children, and I sought to follow. Trynia, can you introduce me to your friends?" 

Quickly the introductions were made. "We must find our children at once," Thar said to her. 

"Our children?" she questioned, standing apart from him. "What are you talking about?" 

"I speak of those children we share," he said, a bit impatiently. "Do you not know your own..." 

"Wait a minute," Trynia said, holding up her hand. "You and I never had children," 

"Do you not remember, my wife," said he. 

"Wife? We aren't married," Trynia protested. Hurt spread over Thar's face, as if she had slapped it.

"Guys, can we straighten this out later?" JD broke in. "We've got a problem. The rift JEP created, is gone. We're trapped." 

"Oh great," Sport 1 moaned. Jazmin reached for his hand. Trynia winced again, and Thar instinctively held her up. His arm slipped around her waist as he supported her. 

"By Ra, my dear, another rip?" 

"Yes," she gasped, as the others helped her to sit. "It's as if there is a massive tug o war with reality... oooh!" 

"Can't we help her?" asked Jazmin. Despite the fact she didn't' trust Trynia well, she still felt concern for the one who helped her boyfriend. 

"The medikit doesn't have anything to help her," said Sport 1, looking around. But Thar had already taken charge. Chanting in Egyptian he waved hand over her temples. Relief spread over Trynia's face. 

"What did you do?" JD asked. 

"A simple spell of healing," said he. "She often has these pains of the head, caused by the hiccups of time. Yet I know how to block the pain, if only for a while." 

"Thanks," She sighed. Thar's face darkened again. "There is still the matter of our... my children," he said again. 

"They must be trapped in time as well," Trynia surmised. 

"So what do we do?" Jazmin asked. 

"Maybe we can escape," Trynia said. "If I had the proper circuitry I could construct a temporal amplifier... to enhance the effect of JEP's machine... if he tries to activate it again..."

"But we don't know if he knows where we are," said Sport 1. "For all we know he's assuming we're back in the past."

"Not likely," said IQ. "That machine of his has a time scanner. It is logical to assume he's monitoring us each minute... and he could send help... unless Scarab's machine is blocking his."

"If only I had a temporal rectifier," Trynia moaned. Despite the fact he was a bit confused, Thar gripped her hand supportingly. 

"Do not fear," he said. "I am certain we will find the answer. If only my magic could move a ship of this size..."

"Magic?" Jazmin asked him. "You're a magician?"

"One of the best in Msir," he sniffed, drawing up to his full height.

"Are you meaning to say you can go poof, and send us back?"

"Few spells are that simple," he sighed. "Without knowing where and when we are... such things are far too complicated..."

There was a flash of energy as a boy materialized in the cabin. Everyone backed away as they feared another visitor. Yet Thar waved his staff before the boy, as if scanning some invisible force. "He is a friend," Thar said, yet judging from everyone's relief realized it was obvious.

"Mer 1?" Sport 1 gasped. "What are you doing here?"

Standing up, Mer 1 shook himself off. "JEP thought you could use some help. Looks like I turned up just in time." 

Everyone winced at the pun. Thar moved to look at Mer 1 more closely. "Who is this?" Mer 1 asked, glancing at the sorcerer. "He looks like he walked right off an Egyptian frieze!"

"Some friend of Trynia's, who came out of the past," said Jazmin, then turned to Thar, "Excuse me, but what is your name again?"

"Tharankenat, Court Wizard of the Great One himself, and Royal Guardian to the Son of to the mighty Thuthmose, son of Ra, ruler of the lands of Doshret and Khemet. May the face of Ra and Amun shine favorably upon his reign..."

"Come again?" Eric asked.

"Oh, just call him Thar," Trynia shook her head.

"But what do we do to get out of here?" 

"IQ, you and Trynia have to make some adjustments on the circuits, and the plane can be transmitted on through." 

"We're stuck," Jazmin muttered. "For how long?"

"Don't worry. She is working fast... and this device should send the plane through. But it will be a bit tricky," Mer 1 explained.

"Thar's children are trapped. We must save them," Said Trynia. 

"Yeah. One thing at a time," said Sport 1. "What do we do to get back?" 

"Trynia and IQ can make the modifications," Mer 1 thought. "It will take a while. But I don't know what else..." 

"You have the rectifier, I trust," Trynia said. Nodding Mer 1 held it up. Quickly she took it and with JD's help started to construct her amplifier. AS they worked, everyone compared notes. 

* * *

Thar finished with a project he'd suddenly been working on. He'd summoned a few crystals and a silver dish filled with water. Jazmin watche dwith interest at his ancient magical rituals. For JEP had used magic to make her bionic. 

"Intriguing," he muttered, glancing atMer 1 again. 

"What's up?" Mer 1 asked. 

"The scent of magic is strong upon you, future boy. Maat has bestowed her blessing upon you, and I can feel the wisdom and presence of the visions of Thoth," Thar said quietly. "You might be able to assist me after all." 

"How is that?" Mer 1 asked. 

"My wards of probing tell me you have traversed in time, and are not disoriented. You are accustomed to maintaining the balance of Maat. Like Trynia. And I can tell your mind can move among the many dimensions as far beyond Net's spangled glory...Were you not aware?" 

Trynia glanced at Mer 1. "His bionics do resemble mine, in some ways," she said. "There is the temporal stability circuitry. Not as advanced." 

"What now?" 

"Sport 1, do you agree that we help them?" asked JD. Often he deferred to Eric, for Eric was a natural born leader.

"Yeah. You and Trynia had better keep making those changes. Then we'll see what's up with Thar here, and see how we can best help him." 

"I will use my magic to see if I can find their true place in this malestrom of time," Thar said, as he crouched upon the floor of the cabin. 

"Maybe I can help," said Jazmin. "I am psychic..."

"Good. Focus your mind's Ka upon the silver dish. With your thoughts focussed, it may give me the additional strength to sort this unbalance..." 

* * *

JEP cursed as he struggled with the time machine controls. Still he could not get them out of the rip. "What now?" Sport 1, the future one asked. 

"I sent Mer 1. With some circuitry he might be able to set up an amplifier to send the plane on to the past. But there is the matter of that other time machine. It's taking me all I can to try and block its effects on reality. Dr. Scarab's device is shredding time itself!"

"Is there nothing we can do?"

"I hope Mer 1 can take the circuitry to them, and that with Trynia's knowledge of time travel they can convert the plane into a time vehicle... to at least return them to their own time... for I may be able to stall Scarab's machine..."

* * *

As Tharakenat continued to use his magical scrying dish, he gave a shout of alarm. He and Jazmin backed away from the silver dish on the floor. Above it two images appeared in the cabin. Of a young boy and girl. "Mennerana! Sehnenrath!" Thar shouted, going over to them. Yet they made no sound, and the image dissipated soon. 

"How did that happen?" Jazmin asked, surprised. "More magic?"

"My daughter is projecting her astral image to me," Thar explained. "The scrying dish amplified it..."

"What we saw was an psychic image much like a hologram," Trynia said, as she finished the repairs. The temporal rectifier had been tied into the machinery of the plane. IQ wiped his face in exhaustion.

"We're ready to go whenever JEP's going to activate the time machine," said IQ.

"Good. I'll contact him," said Mer 1. Closing his eyes he thought a message to JEP. Soon he nodded. "We're all set."

"What about Thar's kids?" asked Sport 1. "What do we do to help them.So far all we've seen is an image."

"Jazmin's power helped much," Thar remarked. But I cannot tell you in terms you could understand just where they are... for I sense this machinery has its own language..."

"I will help you out," Mer 1 said. "We can use the plane to get to them... and Thar will use his magic to sense them. He's gonna think it to me, and I'll translate it into the right coordinates..."

A few minutes later everyone was strapped inside. Save Thar and Mer 1, who stood in the middle of the cabin, over the scrying dish. Trynia activated the device, as Mer signaled. JD set the controls, and started the engines. There was a sense of movement as the plane shifted in the time stream.

Thar stood, eyes shut. There was a green energy that coursed from him to Jazmin, and Mer 1, and back. "That way," Thar muttered, and Mer 1 spoke coordinates to JD and Trynia.

The images of two life forms were visible as they floated through the void. "I must venture beyond your ship," Thar suddenly said.

"Are you crazy?" asked IQ. "The energy is fluxing off the scale..."

"I must go to them. The balance of Maat is being toyed with, and I fear for their safety..."

"Let down the field so he can teleport," Trynia instructed. No sooner had JD let down the shield when another disturbance crashed into the craft. Trynia moaned in pain. Jazmin and Eric grabbed each other for support. "Scarab's device... is acting up again!" Trynia cried. "He's trying to send this craft... somewhere else!" 

"JEP's machine will stop this. I'm going to transit back... and you guys get the kids..."

"Wait," said Trynia. "Don't do anything!"

Power fluxed, and for a moment there was a blurring in the air itself. Thar came to Trynia, supporting her. Yet the temporal instability hit with a vengeance. Around them the craft seemed to buzz and flicker in and out of existence. Due to their temporal shielding Trynia and Mer 1 were not affected. Neither was Thar, for his mystical power helped him. Instinctively IQ grabbed for Mer 1.

To vanish from his grasp.

Jazmin and Eric watched helpless as they were frozen in time. The four figures vanished without so much as a trace.

Thar grabbed Trynia about the waist, as they materialized. The sheering wind tore at them. Thar chanted, and a green sphere encased the duo. However Mer 1 was torn from their vicinity.

Immediately Thar's staff transformed into a serpent, snaking out towards him. It lengthened to the span of a real python, about 32 feet. "Grab hold!" he cried. Mer 1 reached as the serpent twined around his arm. Then he pulled himself till he was encased in the sphere with the others. Everyone grabbed hold of everyone else. Thar's sphere solidified into solid light, and like a soap bubble they were buffeted and rocked by the time winds. 

"Don't know how long... I can maintain this spell," he gritted. "But... must keep us together. " 

To their relief the time winds ceased. And a strange image appeared. That of two children.

"They are here!" Thar cried. For a moment he relaxed his spell. But there was no sound from them.

"How can we get them?" Trynia asked.

"Not to worry," said Mer 1. "I think we have the answer right before us." 

"What do you mean?" asked Trynia. "Unless..." 

"Sir, can your magic allow you to conjure your way into a place you have seen? Like when you conjured yourself into the ship?" Mer 1 asked him. 

"Yes. But what... wait! I see where you are going, young one. But what about the ship? We are being separated from it.."

"The ship is still around..." said he. "You two have got to get back on board while you still can. Leave me here. I might be able to get to your kids, and..."

"What about you," Trynia asked. "If you are left behind..."

"JEP's machine can get a fix on me..."

"There is a danger he cannot," said Trynia. "If there was only some way... Thar could you teleport them all back?"

"If he is beyond our reach... I cannot. You must learn the spell yourself." 

"I couldn't," said Mer 1. 

"Listen. You have the capacity. I will speak the spell, and you will listen. Then you will say it, and send yourself and the children to their ship." 

"How can you do that?" Thar asked. 

"The time rip probably sent them miles away, or centuries?"

"I can sense where they are," said Mer 1. "Remember I'm related to them. They're still in reach." 

"Quickly... listen to what I said," Thar said. Mer 1 did as he was told, and Trynia vanished from view. To materialize on board the plane once more. That left Thar and Mer 1 within the bubble. 

"Well spoken, lad," Thar nodded. The strain was beginning to show on his face. 

"Now you sir," said Mer 1. "Teleport yourself onboard... while you still can..."

"But my children..." Thar said.

"I'll get them. Then I'll teleport all of us on the ship!"

Trynia arrived back on the ship. Jazmin and Eric had managed to drag them into a small auxiliary control pod. Within minutes they were safely underway. Trynia gasped as the modifications held. When had they the time to make them? Their ship was past the focus of Dr. Scarab's power. Yet how much longer could they remain between the now and the now? 

* * *

Back in the past Trynia suddenly felt a surge of the time line. Desperately she struggled to recreate the time rip which had claimed Thar and her children. Yet what was this? Quickly she linked her cybersystems to the machine. In her mental scanner she saw the structure of reality curling and spilling as shining rips suddenly appeared. 

The source of the disturbance was the twentieth century, she realized. Another shimmer spread from the next century, struggling to stabilize the rips, but failing to block the other end. And other anomalies suddenly spread in interstitial time. What a mess.

Even if her machine could not traverse time, perhaps she could assist the time machine in the future. For it appeared an intelligence was fighting the other rogue machine. Trynia twisted rods on her device, sending a stabilizing influence to hit the storm from her past...

* * *

"That's odd," said JEP, looking up. For Scarab's machine had suddenly been stabilized. 

"What? You look relieved, and perplexed."

"My detector is sensing another time signature. That from another time machine."

"How can that be?"

"It's somewhere int eh past. And it's attempting to stabilize the rip as I am..."

"From the past?" Sport 1 asked. 

"That means I can send the time ship home," he rejoiced. "But if only there was some way I could let that other intelligence behind the other machine know..."

"We must send them back!" Sport 1 said. "Didn't you say that other machine's stabilizing the rip?"

"Yes but..."

"Whoever is doing it knows about time travel like you do. What will it hurt to try temporarily letting it take the load while you help our friends..."

"But..."

"Just get my family home!" said Sport 1, pleading. "You said you were my friend to my past self. Prove it by helping my past self, and my future wife, or else I might not exist..."

"All right. But if that rip spreads to now..." 

* * *

Samuel moved in the void, sensing the focus as he materialized. Two figures gasped as he appeared, a bit surprised. 

The slender fellow was about Sam's age, he guessed. He was clad in a white Egyptian kilt, his hair coiffured into a typical style. Except for the distinctive braid running down his back midway. And the wrist guard on his right hand suggested he was a scribe. The little girl radiated magical energy, much like Samuel's. Her white wrapdress was similar in design to Trynia's, and her hair was styled much the same. Kohl outlined their eyes, typical of the time period.

"Hang on! I'm a friend..."

The girl looked at the boy, who nodded. Thar mentioned he'd sent a mental message to them both. Yet his telepathy could not allow him to read their minds. To his words they responded in a strange sounding language. Of course they would not speak English.

"I don't know if you can understand me," he said. For a moment it appeared as if the boy were listening. Then he spoke, in halting English.

"I can understand you now that I have absorbed your manner of speech. My sister informs me you are he whom our Father has sent to aid us..."

"Yes," said Mer 1, amazed at this boy's ability. "Just hang onto me and I'll teleport us out of here... there is a ship... I mean a craft ready to transport us..."

The girl smiled as her brother translated Mer's speech. Then she said something. Turning to Mer 1 he said, "My sister says she wonders how you can move in those strange tight garments you wear..."

"Tell her I'll explain later," Mer 1 said. "Grab hold of my hands. I will get us out of here..."

A piercing shriek came from the girl. "What's wrong?" Mer 1 asked. Then he sensed it too. A massive power flux flooded his pre cog sense. Instantly his psi link reached, trying to find anyone.

Thar's mind brushed his. "My boy, where are you?"

"I have them. But what happening?"

"I do not know... but the image of the ship is shifting..."

"No! Their transiting without us!" Mer 1 said. He spoke the Egyptian spell, hoping it would send them all onboard.

Yet he arrived in the place where the ship once was, to find nothing there. Instantly Thar's thoughts vanished from his mind. 

"Father!" the two children screamed. "Where is he?" Sehenrath demanded.

"He... he's... gone!" Mer 1 gasped. All three children drifted together in the vast emptiness that spilled all around them. Nothing in site except a vast whiteness from which no sound came!

End of Part 2! 

* * *

Will Bionic 1 destroy Scarab's Machine? Will Thar and his children ever get back to Ancient Egypt alive? And will the timeline be restored? Find out in Part II! 

click to go to part III! http://geocities.com/area51/meteor/1348/bionic3.html

  



	3. Chapter 3

Disclaimer: This story is written for fanfiction enjoyment only 

Disclaimer: This story is written for fanfiction enjoyment only. The characters of Bionic Six are owned by Tokyo Movie Shimas.... The characters of Mummies Alive are property of DIC. Trynia Merin and Mennehotep, Tharankenat, Mennerana, and Sehnenrath are all the property of me, Trynia Merin Aka Theresa Meyers. Use them only with permission from me first... the character of Shadowdancer, Jazmin, Joshua, Samuel, Meg Bennett, and JEP are property of Jade JJ, which I use with her permission. I am thankful to write such interesting stuff for the enjoyment of Bionic 6 and Mummies Alive fans as well! 

* * *

Timequake Part 3: 

By Trynia Merin.

* * *

"I have them!" cried JEP. "They're transiting to the past, safely."

"But where is Mer 1?" asked Sport 1.

JEP closed his eyes. And concentrated. Then a look of horror spread. "He's trapped in the void! Left behind..."

"Well, get him back here!" cried Sport 1.

"All right. Here goes..."

There was a crackle of light. Then Mer 1 appeared. But two strange children were with him, clutching his hands tightly. Both were dressed in Egyptian clothes.

"Oh no, here we go again," Sport 1 moaned as Mer 1 looked up at his father. 

* * *

"We're moving!" Jazmin cried with excitement as the ship lurched. 

"But Mer 1," Sport 1 said, realizing that there was no sign of their future friend. Or their new friend from ancient Egypt.

Suddenly there was a green blaze of light as the man in question materialized on board. "Wait! They are still within the throws of Fate!" cried Thar. 

"Too late, we're almost there!" cried IQ. There was a shudder as the craft burst through a shining radiance. Slowly it subsided, and everyone rubbed their eyes.

Jazmin glanced out the window. Below stretched the expanse of blue ocean. Sport 1 came to her side, admiring the sight of land and sky once more. Indeed the ship had arrived back in the past. Or their present, rather. Now IQ circled about the island, scanning for any sign of the others.

Trynia held Thar in her arms as he despaired. "My children," he sighed, hand to his head. "I have failed them..."

"You did your best, Thar," Trynia comforted him. "And remember Mer 1 is with them. They are not alone..."

"He's right," Sport 1 said in sympathy as he came to stand by the couple. "And remember Mer 1 said that JEP had a fix on him. Maybe he can take them into the future."

"Who pray tell is JEP?" Thar asked, lifting his head at this sign of hope.

"A scientist, I mean a man of great knowledge like a wizard in the future," Sport 1 explained. "He has a time machine too. And he might be able to at least take your children into the future where they will be safe..."

"Don't worry," said Trynia. "We will do all we can to help you!"

"I thank Thoth that I encountered you," said Thar, gripping Sport 1's offered hand. "The winds of fate have brought us together..."

"Shall I land?" IQ asked them. "I've been trying to hail the others... but I get no response from Rock 1 or Karate 1..."

"Go ahead and land," Sport 1 said. "We'd best be out of sight of Scarab..."

"Scarab?" asked Thar, anger coming across his Kohl decorated eyes. "That murderer of a Pharaoh's son is behind this?"

"No, not the sorcerer," Jazmin told him. "Another one by that name. He's an evil scientist..."

"Another wizard," said Sport 1. 

* * *

Mother 1 heard the voice message from IQ. Relief crossed her features. "They're all right!" she cried. "And they're on their way!" 

"That is favorable!" Menne said. "I cannot help but wonder how they came back from the future...."

"I'll radio Bionic 1," said Mother One.

"No. Do not tell him till he gives us the ready to move in," Menne said. Soon enough the bleeping came from Bionic 1.

Mother 1 radioed him the news. For a time there was silence, then a confirmation of their shared joy. Listening, she nodded, eagerly. 

"What?"

"We will join him, and attack the base. Bionic 1 has just contacted IQ. They're going to land on the island and back us up as we move in first..."

* * *

"Whaat!" Dr. Scarab shouted as the image of the plane appeared on his scopes. "This isn't possible! They both arrived? Mechanic! Activate my machine! We'll send them away for good!" 

Levers were thrown, as a time disturbance hit the jet. On board Trynia gasped with pain. Thar's eyes darkened. He probed with mystical power, to find the source of the pain.

"Scarab's machine!" Trynia cried. 

* * *

In the future JEP turned his own time machine, to block Dr. Scarab's. "Oh no you don't," he snapped. "You're not going to send them our way again," he said. 

The future children sat nearby, trying to calm those from the past. Sehnenrath had introduced himself to Siren 1 and Polaris 1 by now. Tentatively Mennerana glanced at all the new faces, and the strange metal walls. JEP thought it best to show them as little of the future house as possible. To prevent any more time pollution. His machine busy with stopping Dr. Scarab, JEP dared not use precious time to send them back to Egypt. At least not till Dr. Scarab was stopped!

* * *

Meanwhile Bionic 1 had found the main control room. Angrily he glanced at Scarab as he tried to send the members of his family away. Yet he dared not strike till the other minions had left the area. He had sent Mother 1 and Menne to rescue Rock 1 and Karate 1. 

IQ had told him of the future JEP's machine. How JEP was blocking Scarab's device to stop the others from being sent anywhere else in time. "Thank you JEP," Bionic 1 muttered. "You just bought us more time..."

Silently he prayed that Helen was all right. 

* * *

"If I cannot send them away, I will bring something to stop them," Dr. Scarab snarled. Hands moved across the control panel. Something was plucked from the past, and sent to the present. 

A strange bomb-like device headed towards the plane. On board everyone froze as it was about to hit. IQ noted how it resembled one of the old atomic test bombs.

There was nothing they could do. Thar tried to throw up a mystical shield in vain. Maybe he could at least protect the craft.... 

* * *

JEP snarled, and frantically stabbed controls. As suddenly as it appeared, the atomic bomb vanished back to its proper place. He sighed with relief. "This cannot go on," he said. 

On his computer screen, the sight of the other time machine rang up. If only there was some way of contacting its owner. By now Mennerana, Sehnenrath, and the others watched over his shoulder.

"Am I to understand that magic screen sees the past?" asked Sehnenrath.

"Yes," Siren 1 explained.

"What is that shimmering?"

"Three time machines."

"My mother has a time machine in the past," said Sehnenrath. "She was operating it, and that is how we were trapped in between the now and now..."

"Your mother?" JEP asked

"Yes. The lady Trynia..."

"Did you say Trynia?" JEP said weakly. "She... has a time machine in Egypt?"

"Yes..."

"That's the answer!" JEP cried, almost jumping ten feet out of his chair. "I have it! Mer 1, you've got to use your telepathy to contact them in the past... but how will we contact Trynia in the past?"

"What are you talking about?" Polaris and Siren asked. Calming down, JEP outlined his plan. All nodded.

"But we can't use your machine to send me back to tell them," said Mer 1.

"Menne, can you use your power to think to papa and mama?" Sehnenrath asked her. She shook her head sadly, and muttered something.

"She says she cannot contact Mother or father..."

"Wait, Thar said something. That I can send my mind in time," Mer 1 realized. "And with Menne's help I can do it!" 

* * *

They landed the plane upon the beach, out of range of Scarab's device temporarily. Sport 1, Jazmin, Trynia, and Tharankenat all climbed out while IQ stayed on board. Blinking, Thar took in the scene on the beach. "It is much like the climate of my homeland," he remarked. "But the vast expanse of the sea is nothing like Thebes. More much like Memphis's port..." 

"Several thousand miles away," Sport 1 said. Waving to IQ, the plane took off as IQ went to effect repairs.

Jazmin and Sport 1 found the quad runners, one busted, the other still workable. Retrieving them they pulled them back to the beach. Trynia found her hovercraft, and soon they all were loaded on board, heading out to sea to help Bionic 1 and his small team.

Thar clung to the fast moving craft as they moved out over the ocean. He could scarce believe he was in the future! Or a possible future. Yet it pained him to think that Trynia did not remember him. His mind reasoned that perhaps this was Trynia before they had met. But she knew him. So mayhaps this was one of what she called alternate versions of reality? His mind swam at the endless possible explanations.

But they were stopped by the halefire of other vehicles. Swinging the hovercraft around, Trynia headed back to the beach.

"I will get the others out," IQ's voice came over the link. "You stop them!"

"Will do!" Trynia called, along with Sport 1 and Shadowdancer. 

* * *

Meanwhile Helen and Menne reached the cells containing Karate and Rock 1. With a simple code punched in Mother 1 released them both. 

"Mom!" they cried throwing themselves into her waiting arms. "We were so scared you'd gone for good!"

"I'm here my dears," she sobbed for joy. Menne watched patently, filled with delight at the reunion of mother and children.

"We must help Bionic 1," she said, straightening up. "He's trying to destroy the Time Machine Dr. Scarab has made."

"Let me at that miserable wretch!" cried Karate 1.

"That goes triple for me!" Rock 1 cried, eager for a rematch.

"Let's go!" cried Mother 1. "Come on, Menne!"

Obligingly Menne followed her friends out of the cell holding bay.

* * *

Trynia gunned the hovercraft onto the beach. A message bleeped over Sport 1's wristcom. "Sport 1 here..." 

"Mother 1 here," said her voice. "We've rescued them. Where are you?"

"Being chased by Scarab's goons," he said. "Where's Dad?"

"I guess in main control. He's going to need our help. Can you distract Scarab long enough..."

"IQ's onto it," said Sport 1. "He's fighting his way to get you, and pick you all up..."

"Good. I'll call him the moment we need him. Be careful dear!"

"Don't worry," Trynia said. "We'll keep him out of trouble."

"By Thoth," muttered Thar. "Talking bracelets."

"What was that?" Mother 1 asked.

"Another friend. Don't' worry about it," Sport 1 grinned. "Sport 1 out!"

A blast from Madam O's gun hit the craft, sending it out of control. Grabbing Thar, Trynia leapt to safety. Sport 1 and Shadow dancer also jumped out unharmed as the hovercraft burst into flames.

"AD142322!" Trynia shouted. "That was a lot of work went into that! You DA1234!" she continued shaking her fists at them.

"Hang on they're coming around again!" Sport 1 cried. "Get ready, Jazmin!"

"BIONICS ON!" they shouted together, blazing into their skin tight uniforms.

"You bet!" she shouted, readying her lightening. "How about you, Thar?"

Wincing at the familiar, he nodded. "By Ra and Horus I am!" The Egyptian sorcerer shouted an incantation, "By the Wisdom of Thoth and Wadjet I summon thine aid!", and blazed into armor. The transformation was much like that of their Mummy friends. Except Thar was alive. He was wrapped in turquoise Python armor, and still held aloft his staff before him.

"Offensive mode activate!" Trynia cried simultaneously. Instantly she was garbed in her Egyptian metallic kilt and stellar armor. A striped headdress helmet covered her hair, and her golden cybernetic legs were visible, as was the sapphire blue gauntlet on her other hand.

"Lets hit it!" Sport 1 cried. Chopper leapt off his cycle, chains singing towards the young teen. Sport 1 threw a powerball at him with his hand.

Trynia faced off against a massive form. He towered 8 feet over her. "Watch it! Klunk's strong," said Sport 1.

"So am I, my friend," she laughed. Klunk grunted, and punched the ground. Trynia still kept her footing. 

"Not bad," said she. "But this is better!"

So saying she hit the ground with both fists. The force almost knocked her friends off their feet. But Klunk absorbed the energy.

"Oops," said Trynia, leaping into the air as he punched at her.

"What manner of costume is this?" Madame O chuckled at Thar's armored form. They circled about, keeping equal distance sandwitched between them. "What is this? A snake man?"

"Taunt me not, witch of the future," he countered, waving his staff. Madame O blasted him with sound from her harp. Crossing his arms over his chest in the Osiris position, Thar summoned a beryl green shield. Her harp blast bounced off harmlessly.

"Oho not bad," she said. "But try this one! It's a hit, darling!" 

As Madame O hit him with a frequency of various sounds, his shield held strong. Annoyed, "I will tame you, you snake!"

"When Apophis swallows the sun," he shouted back. He hurled a blast at her, actually hitting her!

Goo laughed at Shadowdancer as she leapt into the air. She showered him with lightening balls. But they sizzled out of existence when they impacted. A glutenous substance was hurled in her direction. Nimbly she leapt out of the way.

The stuff lobbed by. To hit Sport 1 behind her. "Oh I'm sorry!" Jazmin cried.

Chopper snarled with delight, wrapping the struggling Sport 1 in his chains. An electronic charge shot through him. As Shadowdancer tried to help she was doused in glue.

Trynia grunted as she dodged a rock hurled by Klunk. Her mind figured out he absorbed kinetic energy. So she tried not to hit him. Rather she reared up, and tackled his stomach.

He was too firmly rooted to be thrown so easily. Picking up Trynia he hurled her aside. She righted herself, and landed safely. He lifted his fist to pound her into the ground. Yet she reared up, blocking his fist with her strength. He grunted as he forced down. Bracing up she levered with her full strength.

Klunk pushed down, and they locked hands. The powerful villain pushed, only to be met with full strength. Trynia grunted, gritting her teeth as she pushed back with all her strength. Actually she pushed him back!

And flipped him onto his back!

Recovering from Thar's blast, Madam O played a shrilling tone on her harp. Thar put his hands over his ears in pain. She chose that moment to hit him with another blast. He crumpled. As she advanced upon him a strange object snaked around her legs, tripping her.

It was a snake's tail! Climbing to his feet, he recovered, and backed away. A well placed blast deflected the harp from her hand.

She grabbed her gun, and fired. Thar's barrier deflected it. Yet he realized she would not stop firing. And his head still ached from that blasted harp tone! Chanting in ancient Egyptian he raised his hand. And summoned a shiny prism over his head, pyramid shaped. As she fired her weapon, the prism deflected the power. 

"Cute, but it won't help you," Madame O laughed.

"That's not what I was aiming for," Thar smiled from under his serpent helmet. The blast hit Shadowdancer, sizzling away her glue coating.

"Thanks Thar!" she cried. At last she was free. Instantly she blasted Sport 1 with lightening, vaporizing the glue. At last he could act!

Madame O fired again, and Thar's prism once more deflected the blow. She ran at him kicking. As he swung his staff up to block, she kicked her harp up into her hand. With a tone the crystal pyramid shattered instantly.

Trynia pushed Klunk onto his back. He grunted with anger, and rolled out of the way as she leapt to tackle him again.

Sport 1 felt his mind reach out to Shadowdancer. Narrowly he avoided Chopper's electrical chains. Another glue bomb exploded, accidentally hitting Madame O and Thar instead of the two young lovers.

"Whoops, sorry Thar!" said Sport 1, wincing as he realized both foe and friend were snared. "Gotta be careful with that."

"What say we get these two together..." said Jazmin. Nodding to her love, the two leapt as Chopper's chains sang out at Sport 1, and Goo hurled his next glob.

The chain hit Goo, sizzling. And the glob hit Chopper, immobilizing him!

Madame O blasted the goo with her sonic harp. Thar chanted a spell, "May you be as hard as the mud bricks in the sacred temples!" and the goo hardened and cracked.

"Now milady we end this," Thar said.

"I don't think so," she cried.

But then she screamed as he transformed into a giant python. Hissing he arced towards her, wrapping his coils around her. She dropped the harp and pistol, grunting as he constricted her. Madame O hated snakes. How could he have known this?

A pair of green eyes stared into hers. Mesmerizing. Madame O could not resist the hypnotic stare. Then she fell asleep.

"You, charm me?" Thar hissed, still in snake form as he slithered from around her. "That's a laugh!"

Trynia winced as Klunk's punch hit her. Shaking her head, she tackled him again. Flipping him onto his back, she pinioned his arms. Without the leverage he was helpless.

Goo roared as he showered Sport 1 and Shadowdancer with mucilage. Yet Shadowdancer once again hurled lightening, sizzling and evaporating his glue. In pain he whimpered as he backed away like a hurt dog.

"The bigger they are," Sport 1 said. "The harder they fall..."

"Yes!" Trynia grunted, straining against Klunk. He could not hurl her.

"Thar... how can we stop him?" Shadowdancer asked, realizing the Egyptian wizard's powers had turned the tide. She used her telekinesis to help Trynia hold Klunk.

"I have it," he said. "By the powers of the mighty Goddess Nut! Bring the winds of her being to cool his ardor!"

A chilling blast hit Klunk. He shivered as Thar's spell iced him up. The cold winds condensed water upon his skin, forming ice rapidly. Coldness sucked the absorbed kinetic energy from him as he shivered.

* * *

Menne and Mother 1 led the assault as they attacked the main control room. Grateful for the distraction, Bionic 1 made his move. 

But Glove and Mechanic both fell in. Karate aimed a kick at Mechanic, kicking his gun away. Rock 1 blasted Glove with sound.

Mother 1 sensed the cyphrons as they attacked. She used her powers to make them see her elsewhere. When the first cyphron attacked, Mennehotep swooped down and stabbed it with her amazon spear.

"Nice job!" Mother 1 laughed, slapping Menne's hand.

Glove blasted at Rock 1 with an immobilizer beam. She nimbly leapt out of the way, her kick contacting with his glove.

Karate 1 dodged the blasts from the cyphrons. Out of the corner of his eye he saw Bionic 1 approaching the console.

Menne flew around eh room on Ibis wings, blasting Cyphrons left and right with lightening. But for each they destroyed, the more there seemed to be. At last they all stood back to back, Menne overhead as she flew in circles to protect her friends.

"Get away from the machine, Scarab!" Bionic One shouted.

"Never!" he cried, and fired his weapon. Bionic One dodged it. Angrily he approached, and grabbed Scarab's gun. But Scarab managed to blast at point blank range.

"No!" cried Mother 1. 

* * *

Overhead in the sky IQ used the ship armaments to fend off the laser cannons. Nimbly he guided the ship in and out of the crimson beams. In his mind he calculated the trajectories of the missiles aimed at his ship. 

He swerved and dodged as two heat seeking missiles hurtled toward him. IQ muttered a curse under his breath that would have made his mother blush. He struggled to throw the missles as best he could. Either way he would be very busy the next few minutes.

* * *

"Whaat?" Scarab cried in anger as Bionic 1 was unharmed. For a purple sphere of energy had deflected his blast! 

Menne held her hands to her head. She had encased Bionic 1 in her magical barrier. "Time to stop this little party," Bionic 1 said, grabbing Dr. Scarab's gun. In his hand he smashed it.

"Get back, I'm warning you!"

"Or you'll do what?" he asked. Mother One stayed at Menne's side as the mummy landed. Her powers were almost used up.

"Mother 1, get out of here," Bionic 1 said to her. "I'll handle Scarab..."

"I can't leave you," she cried.

"Do it," he said. "Force them back!"

Mother One summoned an image of a gigantic dragon, which frightened Mechanic and Glove. Cowardly they rushed away.

"Come back you cowards!" Scarab shouted, as he dodged Bionic 1's punch. Unfortunately Bionic 1's hand lodged into the console of the time machine.

"No!" Scarab shouted in rage. "You idiot you'll destroy us all!"

Karate 1 rushed to help his Dad pull his arm out of the machine. Electricity arched around it as it began to short circuit. "It's more than you deserve," Bionic 1 spat. "For interfering in the structure of time..."

"Bengi, leave me," he said to Karate 1. "Get out of here while you still can..."

"But Bionic 1... Dad!"

"Do it," Mother 1 cried, as she raced after Menne and Rock 1. "IQ's coming to help!"

Dr. Scarab howled in rage as he struggled to repair the machine. Bionic 1 took another swing at it, helped by Karate 1. They rushed away quickly as the machine began to blow up.

Menne reached out with the last bit of her power. Had to protect them all lest the explosion destroy them! Mother 1 added her mental strength to Menne's, helping her keep the barrier up. Karate 1 concentrated as well, taking Menne's hands in his. Bionic 1 continued to hammer the machine.

* * *

Mer 1 summoned his strength. For what he was about to do required the utmost concentration. Nodding at Sehenrath, the scribe whispered his words to Mennerana. Then looked up at Mer 1. "She trusts you. And will open her mind to yours to help direct your power. For together..." 

"We can contact whoever it is in the past to help," said Mer 1. Polaris 1 and Siren 1 watched as they joined hands. Mennerana's mind moved within Mer 1's, and they felt the power move. Images of ancient Egypt flooded Mer 1's mind as he tried to focus on a common thought. He too thought about ancient Egypt, linking his thoughts to match the amplitude of hers. It was like tuning two radios to the same station. Then Mer 1, carried away on the power, sent his mind back to the past.

He saw Trynia working hard on her machine, trying to seal the rip. "Trynia!" he cried.

Trynia turned, and looked in utter surprise at Mer 1's astral projection. "Whom pray tell are you? I discern you are perhaps from the future..."

"Yes! I have sent my thoughts here, with your daughter's help. Listen, there's not enough time to explain it all. But you've gotta trust me! Your kids are okay, and so's your husband... but you must do what I say..."

"Is the other time machine attempting a cross sideric knitting?" she asked.

"Yeah! That's what JEP said..."

"JEP?"

"No time to explain. He made the one in the future. Listen... he says to... adjust the frequency to harmonic resonance. And up the temporal gain... focused on the 20th century!"

"Got it," Trynia said.

"That should make... what did he call it..."

"A time inversion," Trynia said. "Reversing all events that are out of place, causing them to revert to their original states..."

"Yeah!"

"Tell your JEP he has my utmost respect," Said Trynia as she made the adjustments. 

* * *

"Trynia's ready," Mer 1 announced, opening his eyes. Still he strained as he kept the mind link to the past open. Already the strain was beginning to show on his young face. 

Also Mennerana strained. How long could she keep the link to her mother open? She was only half Mer 1's age, and had so many people depending upon her. Yet her father had taught her magic well. She could bear the strain. Mer 1 sensed how similar her constructs were to his. Within her body were the nanites that were much the same as his. Somehow this similarity made the link easier to maintain.

Sehnenrath bit his lip. Polaris and Siren both stood, putting hands upon his shoulder in silent support. For their brother and his sister were locked in a mind bond that could spell the fate of the entire world. It hung precariously in the balance.

JEP reached for levers as he punched a sequence of keys. Only time would tell, said the old phrase. 

* * *

As the sparking machine could take no more punishment from Bionic 1, Dr. Scarab shouted in anger. 

"Jack!" Helen cried. 

"Get out of here!" he shouted. 

"But!" said Helen.

"Menne, get my family to safety..."

"Yes sir," she said, wrapping them all in a bubble. Bionic 1 punched a hole in the wall, and seawater rushed inside the lab. Helen and the children protested as Menne's sphere was drawn out through by the incrusting pressure. Before long the purple bubble drifted to the surface.

"Jack!" Helen screamed, pounding on the bubble. She hated to leave him behind, even if it was his order. Her precog sense would not work so close to the machine!

"Dad!" Rock 1 and Karate 1 cried, also pounding on the sphere. Menne gritted as she swam after it. The sphere held long enough till their heads broke the surface of the water. 

KABLAM!!!! 

* * *

On the island Thar and his little party were blinded by the radiance of the explosion out to sea. By the time the radiance had faded, their enemies were long gone. 

"That explosion... was by the base," said Sport 1.

Shadowdancer winced, and tears came in her eyes. "Your mom! I can feel her pain! Something's happened..."

"What? Are they all okay?"

"They... got out... but... your dad!"

Sport 1's eyes grew to the size of saucers. "What... what about Dad!" he cried, taking her arms.

"I... cannot say! All I sense is sadness from her... and then nothing!"

"Dad! Was he caught up in that explosion?" Sport 1 cried, almost shaking his love. She gasped, her own eyes wide with tears.

"He's... not responding to her calls."

"Sport 1 to Bionic 1! Mother 1... anyone!" 

* * *

Helen saw the plane as IQ set it to hover mode. Rock 1 and Karate 1 managed to swim, dragging Menne's bandaged form between them. Helen frantically scanned the water in search of her husband. She reached out with her mind... anything. 

IQ threw down a lifeline to them, and Helen grabbed it. One by one they were pulled up. "Bionic 1!" she cried to him. "He... didn't come up!"

"I'll look for him right away with all the scans! You keep trying to raise him on the voicelink!"

"Right," Helen said, biting her lip as Rock 1 and Karate 1 tried to help Menne into a seat. The mummy's armor had just fizzled out, and she lay immobile with exhaustion.

"What about dad!" cried Rock 1.

"I know honey!" cried Mother 1. "I'm trying to get him... but he could be unconscious..."

"Or worse," said Karate 1.

"No!" cried Rock 1. 

* * *

There was a huge burst of energy on the time scanner as Dr. Scarab's machine exploded. Time seemed to ripple and flow from the source as it was snapped free. And Trynia and he had to mop up the mess! 

Looking to Menne and Mer 1, he said, "Tell Trynia that the other time machine is..."

"Out of commission?" said Mer 1, opening his eyes a bit. "She knows. And is wondering if you're ready to start sending everyone back..."

"Yes... let her know. It's about time... pardon the pun, to get you two children home..."

* * *

Frantic minutes passed. They saw the form of the jet as it roared overhead, passing several times. 

"Sport 1 to IQ! Are you okay?"

"IQ here," said the familiar voice on Sport 1's comlink. 

"Where's everyone?"

"I just picked them up," said IQ after a pause. "But... no word from Bionic 1..."

"We've tried every scan possible... and nothing," said Rock 1's panic stricken voice.

"No word yet..." said Karate's voice grimly. In the background they could hear someone crying. A voice sobbing bitterly. It sounded like Mother 1!

"Dad!" Sport 1 cried aloud. "No!"

Trynia and Thar stood near him. He rushed out to the beach, and leapt into the water. Jazmin raced after him, trying to stop him. But he pushed her aside in his fear. Trynia raced and grabbed Sport 1's arms, pinioning him behind.

"Let me go! Dad!" he shouted. "Dad could still be down there..."

"Eric, it was destroyed," Jazmin said, as Tharakenat helped her to stand. "I cannot...sense his thoughts..."

"No!" cried Eric. "He's still out there... I gotta save him..."

"IQ's looking for him, and he won't stop till he finds him," said Trynia. "Getting all worked up will not help you..."

"Let me go!" he cried, panic stricken. But Trynia's greater strength held him tightly.

"Eric, stop!" she shouted. "I might tear your arms off if you fight me! I'm sure he's okay! He must be!"

"Dad!" Sport 1 cried. Then turned to Trynia, tears in his blue eyes. He stopped fighting her, and collapsed into her arms, crying. 

* * *

Mer 1's astral form floated above Trynia's floor. He saw her as she threw her own controls. Her pyramid of gold and quartz shone brightly, like a new star. In his mind he could feel the harmonics of both machines as they matched frequency. Two radios being tuned to the same station were what one could compare this to. An old device of quartz, gold and magic met one of ultramodern circuits and microchip. Slowly a disc appeared before each respective machine. Being in his astral form, Mer 1 could see them both. A long thin stream appeared, like a soap bubble as space and time were teased apart into a wormhole. 

"Get ready to step through," JEP told Sehnenrath. Nodding, the boy moved to his sister. Mer 1 released her mind as he nodded goodbye. Menne quickly kissed Mer 1 on the cheek before she left, and he smiled. 

Bidding goodbye to Polaris and Siren, the two children of the past left those of the future. Down the long corridor they went. To emerge simultaneously on the other side of the wormhole.

Then Trynia and JEP widened the effect, modifying it every so slightly. The shockwaves of Scarab's machine were compressed between two boundaries. Waves bounced off, dashing back and forth till the rip collapsed upon itself.

* * *

By now the plane had landed on the beach, picking up the others. On board, IQ desperately scanned the surface of the water, with every known way. Rock 1 and Karate had gone out in quad runners on the island to try and find him. But Helen and Sport 1 were so distraught, they could barely do anything. 

Jazmin held Sport 1's shoulder as he and Mother 1 embraced, both sobbing. Rock 1 and Karate had gone rather numb, and sending them out to search seemed the best way to handle their distress. 

Tharakenat struggled to use his mystical powers, using his silver scrying dish. Suddenly there appeared an astral image above it. Of Mer 1. "What's wrong?" he asked, as he noticed everyone crying.

"Dad's gone!" cried a sobbing Eric.

"Wait?"

"The explosion... he was caught in it," said Trynia, trying to remain calm as she too stood by Sport 1 and Mother 1. 

"That's not possible," said Mer 1.

"How can you know?"

"He's from the future," Trynia said. 

"What she said," Mer 1 stated. "He cannot have died... for he was still alive for many years!"

"Then... there is hope?" Helen said. "My powers cannot predict where he would be..."

"Perhaps," said Thar. "He is not where we can find him... obviously."

"Thar... that's it!" cried Trynia, giving him a kiss on the cheek. "Mer 1, scan for anomalies!"

"Will do!"

* * *

Everyone suppressed a giggle as Bionic 1 appeared in the future to a very surprised JEP, Samuel, Meg, and Joshua. Glancing around, Bionic 1 was very confused. 

"JEP, what is going on here?" he asked, fist still raised as if to strike something. He fell on his face, and everyone rushed to help him.

"Er, you wouldn't want to know..." said JEP. "I'm sending you back now..."

Before Bionic 1 could protest, he vanished.

"I hope that's the last visitor we have for a long time," JEP sighed. "This is getting ridiculous!"

"Like Grand central," laughed Meg. 

* * *

he shimmering oval appeared, and there was a flash. Instantly Bionic 1 appeared in the plane. Everyone rushed to greet him eagerly. Multiple arms hugged him all at once, and questions flew. He hugged his wife and sons in a huge group hug. 

Thar looked at Trynia, a strange look in his eyes. At first they greeted Bionic 1, then withdrew to talk more privately.

"I still would like to know, why is it you do not remember our marriage," said he.

"I don't know," she sighed. "It... I can remember you asking me. But then... the next thing I remember is a big fight... and..."

"Hush now," said Thar. "Perhaps it is best we not know why. For you often told me the danger of careless words. But remember this. I do love you in any time. And I will not blame you..."

"Thar, I wish I could remember..."

"I will try to make sure... you do. And if I do not... there is someone here who can help," Thar said nodding to Jazmin. "She can see past the veils of forgetfulness..."

"Thar, I miss you so much. Even if I don't remember us being married, I remember... I do love you..."

"As I you," he said softly. They reached for each other, and his lips touched hers softly. Then in a blink another blue disc appeared.

"Time for you to go," said Mer 1's astral form.

"I thank you," he said. Everyone spun about, and noticed what had transpired.

"Going so soon?" Jazmin asked him.

"Yes. The balance of Maat must be maintained," he said, turning to them. 

"Thanks for your help," Eric said, shaking his hand. Thar was a bit surprised.

"It's a handshake," Jack explained. "How we greet each other ran this time."

"How curious," said Thar. He extended his hand to the others, and each took their turn tot shake it. When it came to Helen, she gave him a peck on the cheek. 

"Thanks for helping my son be safe," she said. 

"My pleasure."

Jazmin nervously went up to him, and he bowed to her. Taking her hand he kissed it. She smiled. It was rare for her to have trust in this man she barely knew. But they had shared thoughts together. And she knew he was a good man. She also sensed his great love for his family and for Trynia.

"May the Fates be kind, and may Isis bless you with many fine children," he said to her. To the others he said, "May Thoth and Ptah smile upon you, constructs of metal and flesh! You are truly unique!"

"Goodbye Thar!" they all chorused. One last look at Trynia he vanished in a blaze of light.

* * *

In the past Trynia waited anxiously. A blue disc appeared, and her son and daughter emerged. Instantly they raced to her side, and she wrapped her cybernetic arms around them both. 

"Mama! You wouldn't believe where we were!" cried Menerana. "It was all metal... and people like you were there!"

"I bet you had quite a time," said she, rocking as she held them both tightly.

"Mother, I am so glad to see you," Sehnenrath said. "But where is father?"

In answer to his question, there was a blaze of light again. The last passenger came through, and raced to his family's arms. He grabbed his son and daughter. In one massive embrace they all cried and laughed.

Then Sehenrath pulled Menne away so Mother and Father could be alone. Finger over his lips he lead his sister out of the laboratory.

"My love," Thar said, and seized Trynia about the waist tightly. Leaning her back, he gave her a kiss worthy of a romance movie. How wonderful it felt to have her in his arms again, and realize that she truely knew him.

"Thar," she gasped, catching her breath after she returned his kiss. "I feared I had lost you..."

"As did I," he said, stroking her gold filigreed cheek. 

"You learned something about my future, and you cannot tell me," she reasoned. 

"Aye my love. For as I vowed to love you, I vowed to uphold the laws of time..."

"And you must..." said she.

"Yes, I must," he sighed, holding her close. HE could not tell her that she had forgotten him in the future. Yet perhaps he could take steps to prevent it from happening... But what implications would that have? He dared not make any changes without reasoning the consequences. Even if it meant putting personal duty behind it. Such an oath he'd storm when he had become a Guardian. And he would keep his oath. No matter the cost.

Now he had her. But for how long? But he knew she'd be in the future. Perhaps when he died...

Again he embraced her, his lips sharing the passion of his love. And she was there in his arms. Now was all that mattered in this space of time. For he could respond to the concreteness of now, and not the elusive quicksilver that was the unshaped future. 

* * *

In the present the Bennetts gathered in their house. Everyone felt glad Jack was safe. Yet their minds thought to how they had almost lost one another. 

Trynia had taken Menne back to the warehouse, so she could recharge. Yet she had given her express thanks to them for upholding the laws of time. And each had given her their own thanks for her help.

"We could not have done it without her help," JD said, as they all sat in their living room.

"She showed up in the nick of time!" Bunji laughed. Everyone groaned, and threw pillows at him. 

Jack and Helen shared quiet moments together. In each other's arms. Everyone discreetly left them be. 

"I remember Trynia was sad she could not remember she was married," Helen said to Jack.

"Can you help her?"

"I can try with Jazmin's help. Trynia will be coming back soon for a session..."

"Can you help her, given she's an alien. Her mind may not be able to be probed by your efforts..."

"We can but try after all, she is our friend... and she did save Eric's life..."

"We are fortunate to have a friend as her. But I for one am glad that we have not forgotten our marriage..."

"As am I," she said, and her lips pressed against him in a long kiss.

* * *

In the future Jazmin and Eric looked at their children. It seemed hard to believe how the past spilled into he future... 

And how the two children of Trynia had met their own children. It was indeed a strange world when one could traverse the barriers of time. There was no telling whom one would meet. Yet one thing was certain. They had friends. And kindness and love were constants in the universe that evil would never defeat!

"I am glad that Trynia put those nanites in you," said Jazmin, hugging her husband.

"You were rather reluctant for a while..."

"But look at our children! They are so much more stronger. Without the nanites I could not have had three children! For your nanites... helped build them..."

"Yes. We never know how the past will affect the future..."

"No we don't. And that's the fun," she grinned as they embraced.

  


End of story! 

* * *

So what do you think? Email me at tryniamerin@yahoo.com to tell me wha u think! 

I would like to thank Jade JJ for her help and inspiration in writing this story! Here's to you, my friend!


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